Doki Eddy Literature Club
by Bakaforhire
Summary: Eddy is forced to start his life over again in Japan. In trying to do so he is thrown into a web of cults, conspiracies, existential tampering, and the worse web of all: poetry
1. Day 1: Morning

**The Creek**

 **The peach watershed  
** **Follows after me as I run  
** **The sound still taunting**

 **Beside its rocky shore.  
** **I worked on hair brained schemes.  
** **With both of my friends.**

 **But I had to leave  
** **All I have worked for in  
** **rusting river spray**

 **I miss family  
** **The water washed their faces clean  
** **Unrecognizable**

 **I miss my friends  
** **Their dreams were eaten by fish  
** **Without even a fight**

 **I'm a traveler  
** **From a creek I remember  
** **But no one else does**

 **I want to go home  
** **But every time I try  
** **It just won't let me**

 **I'm angry now not  
** **because of what the river stole  
** **but what it gives back**

 **regrets**

 **Stormchaser** Day 1 Morning

The stillness of the bedroom was shattered by an alarm clock. After a few twists in his blanket a short kid with black hair and steel blue eyes silenced the little devil with a grunt. "Yay First day of work," He said with sarcasm coating his statement in a fine sludge. He sat up and surveyed his box metropolis that laid claim to his room. He felt like the sun was mocking him as he pulled an arm up over his eyes to shadow it.

"Good morning Eddy!" A man greeted as he entered the room scaring its inhabitant. His face beaming brighter than the reflective paint on his white jacket. He had about 4 inches on his nephew in height and shared a similar physique. An Endomorph body type with sloped shoulders. He also followed the McGee hair tradition, short black hair with 2 hair parts in the back making three strong cowlicks that dangled behind his neck.

"Don't you know how to knock?!" Eddy replied squirming out of the bed in a rush.

"If I knock, you'll jump out the window," the man teased waving his right index finger in a naughty-naughty sort of way.

"I only did that once, and I was 9," Eddy huffed as he grabbed his "work" clothes from a nearby box. A black T shirt, brown cargo shorts, and a white leather belt.

"You did it yesterday," Came the man's retort with a laugh. "Won't get far if you can't read the language."

"I can read, I just choose not too," Eddy pulled the belt through the loops of his pants. "You never said what we were doing Obe."

"Eager aren't we? The high school near us is having their annual festival tomorrow and we are in charge of ventilation maintenance and odd jobs. You know basic Auxiliary fare."

"Better than guard work," Eddy commented pulling his signature purple street shoes out from under the bed. "How much do I get paid for this?"

"You're not registered yet," Obe reassured his new ward. "Think of this as a break-in day. Once you start High School then we can talk pay stubs and benefits."

The rest of the time at home was uneventful. Eddy and Obe conversed about topics ranging from baseball, women, existential pseudoscience, and the proper way to skin something (even the speaker didn't know how that happened) over runny eggs and charcoal that used to be wheat toast. After breakfast they filed into Obe's truck and pulled out into the street.

"I'm just saying I would be a shoe-in for Count Chocohuk," Obe mused taking a sip of coffee from his thermos. "I even have the smile and everything."

"Yeah just what I need, my flesh and blood fighting little girls using white sauce," Eddy laughed.

"It's Parfait Suppression Foam and I will fight anyone who says otherwise," Obe steamed. The truck stopped at a sign halfway down the street. Eddy's eyes perked up when he saw two figures standing off to the side. At the distance they were from the truck Eddy couldn't make out any real unique characteristics from the guy in the street, but the girl had a strange hair color. A light orange pigment with a red bow adorned on the side.

"She looks like a sentient cinnamon bun," Obe replied softly to himself. "Nephew, when we head back remind me to pick up some on the way back will ya? "

"I think they arrest people for that," Eddy smirked.

"I think they arrest people for that," Obe mocked under his breath.

"I don't know why you're fighting Boss's offer to cook," Eddy poked with a smirk.

Obe furrowed his brows, "The last thing I want is a smug 14 year old handling the meals of a grown ass man who can do well by himself. It's bad enough she threatens to drop spoilers to the new series I picked up."

The truck slowly passed the couple. Eddy was interested in the bun girl for a reason he couldn't put his finger on. "You jealous?"

"What?" Eddy turned back to the driver.

"You jealous you don't have anyone yet?" Obe had a sly grin on his face as the houses gave way to traffic around them.

"Look I literally got here a week ago, there are more important things to worry about," Eddy crossed his arms. "Besides if I turn up my devilish good looks, I can get anyone I want."

"Your humility warms the gearshift of this fools heart,"

"And your sentimental stick gives me indigestion," Eddy pulled his arms back behind his head and sighed. The ride continued in silence.

The truck pulled into the garage across the street from the school. When asked about the name Eddy was met by "Moon Runes" so he didn't bother asking. The building was impressive though, a modern 4 level structure with a warm color aesthetic. At first glance Eddy would never have guessed it would imprison him for the rest of his school life.

"Beautiful isn't she? Nejima-san placed his heart and soul into it's construction. May he rest in peace," Eddy just rolled his eyes at Obe's sarcasm and jumped out of the truck. "We need to check in first, don't wander off too far," Obe reminded closing the trunk toolbox in hand. The school courtyard was in a flurry of activity as Eddy and Obe walked up. One of the workers, a tired-looking late twenties man with pulled back coral pink hair came up to them.

"Hey Kei-On!" Obe shouted his face in a toothy grin. "You look like shit!"

"Nice to see you too Obe. Y-you don't need to yell," The man murmured giving a wry expression. "Jailer ran us on double time yesterday. Who's this?"

"This is the new plus one I was talking about. Eddy, meet my best friend and mentor Keichi Onzai. He is the second in command for this whole sha-bang!" Obe praised as Eddy shook hands with the man. "So, what got in the Jailer's craw now?"

"Apparently according to Ino, He caught his daughter with Parfait Girls Volume 7. That guy needs to be arrested for real." Keichi answered tensely. The fact that the man's fists were clenched was not lost on the two.

"Ino-hene is just hot-tempered because of being the new blood again, if you get swayed by him the whole system would burn down," Obe placed a hand on the foreman's shoulder. "Just breathe alright. Remember your blood pressure."

"You two are checking the box in building 3, there has been problems with the generators short-circuiting and with the added strain the festival causes we don't need any new complaints," Keichi commanded. The man then slumped down. "And if you can check out the doors in the back that would really put my mind at ease. They have been getting stuck more."

Obe sighed, "Kei-On we've been over this, we need to keep personal and professional lives separate."

"I know! I try, but it's- hard you know?" Keichi shook his head. "The hallucinations are getting worse."

"I think you are getting too passionate about nothing my friend," Obe gave a warm smile. "Once we are done here she can rest at my house if she needs to. We pull Abe-san out of his shack we have a few drinks it'll be great!"

"She doesn't need rest Obe, She-" Keichi said rubbing sweat off the sides of his head with his palms. He sighed and his sky-blue eyes twitched. "Nevermind, forget it, don't worry about the doors. Just- take care of the box."

"We'll- talk about this later all right?" Obe asked a little wariness in his voice.

"Of course Olly," Keichi resolved throwing up his hands. "Kick the can down the street like everyone else does." With that the man left the two McGee's to their task. Once he made sure the man was out of earshot Eddy head steamed.

"What's with that guy?" Eddy asked a little pissed.

"I'm sorry Eddy, that was really uncalled for on his part," Obe looked at his nephew a little chaffed as well. "He's usually very bubbly. Must be sleep deprivation again."

"Who cares? That's not a reason to be an asshat," Eddy crossed his arms.

"Maybe if we finish our daily rounds he will turn around," Obe wondered aloud. "Let's get to fixing that box first alright?"

"Lead the way Mr. Fix-it," Eddy grumbled as he started to calm down. Obe took the initiative and started the two to building 3. Along the way the two heard a melody wafting in from one of the buildings. "A piano?"

"You hear it too eh?" Obe replied happily turning his head back. "That's from the recreation room, it's in building 2 if you want to look for it later."

"I don't play, why would I look for it?" Eddy asked.

"Expanding boundaries is good for you Eddy,"

"Now you sound like Double d," Eddy remarked. He couldn't help but feel a small sting enter his heart when he finished his quip. A few minutes later the two made it to Building 3. Obe noticed Eddy's silence and turned around in the entrance. Eddy had a downcast expression on his face.

"Everything's going to be alright Nephew," He spoke patting Eddy on the back. "We take care of our own here. Once you get acquainted with the right people, this town will almost feel like a second home for you."

"Again with the sentimental schtick," Eddy spoke with a small laugh a few moments later.

"I see a smile though," Obe replied softly rubbing the kid's head. "I'm wearing you down bubs."

The pair entered the building and was nearly stopped by a strong musty scent.

"Hey, what reeks?" Eddy yelled out covering his nose.

"The majesty of building 3," Came Obe's response as he rose his arms as if the scent was a presentation. "If something smells, it stinks up the whole place in only an hour. Takes 7 hours to get rid of it too. That's why they put such emphasis on the ventilation here."

"I'm a little concerned about how you would know that," Eddy joked as he followed his uncle as he turned right and started walking down a hallway to a white door at the end.

"Heheh~ If you've been around this school as often as I have, you have to know something about it," Obe smiled. A strange green glow flashed in his eyes. "I'm sure that by the end of what we're doing here you will be able to say the same."


	2. Day 1: Noon

**Mental Notes # 13**

 **I think I have an attraction to pain**

 **I'm a car with a faulty steer.**

 **Everytime I believe I'm in the lane**

 **Into incoming traffic I always veer.**

 **Stormchaser **Day 1: Noon

Truth be told, Eddy really didn't know why he was sent to Japan to live with his Uncle. All the events that lead him, Ed, and Edd to his brother's trailer were kept a secret by the rest of the neighborhood as far as he knew. Johnny 2x4 was mad but he also wasn't a rat, Kevin made sure of that anyway. Eddy can't let those thoughts ruin his new life. Even though now it is now in a boiler room turning hot, humid, and boring as sin.

"Eddy quit spacing out, you're making me look good heh," Obe said poking Eddy's left cheek.

"Don't touch my face," Eddy reeled annoyed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead his his arm."Can't we turn on a fan or something? I'll turn into pottery in this place."

"Exposed wire, metal tubes, and a boy made of water and meat," Obe replied attempting to poke Eddy again on the latter which was met by a swat. "I told you to get a water bottle yesterday."

"No you didn't," Eddy fumed adding more heat to the room.

"I have a flask in the tools that I use for vermin cleaning jobs you can use," Obe smiled sheeply realizing his mistake.

"Why do you have a flask- never mind I don't really want to know," Eddy dropped the subject and left the room. He took note of the water fountain, and went to get the box. Due to Obe's natural order of obtuse rationality, Eddy found the box outside the building. Far away from where it would actually be useful. Fortunately unlike the suffocating intensity of the boiler, the air outside was bright and sunny with a soft cooling breeze. Knowing that he may lose a few pounds of water weight when all said and done, Eddy didn't see any harm in soaking in the breeze as long as he can. He sat down on the step leading to the entrance and just looked up at soft fluffs of white in the pale infinite. The mixture of everything in that moment filled him with an odd feeling of bliss. This sense of happiness lasted about 3-4 minutes.

"Enjoying yourself?" A deep harsh voice pulled Eddy out of his solitude. He looked to the source and saw an imposing giant of a man with short white hair, silver smoldering eyes, and teeth that looked like they could chew through a chain link fence. Before Eddy could react the man closed the gap, and hoisted him up by his collar like a doll. "I don't run a construction business for a snot nosed Gaijin to laze around on my time!"

"I just sat down for a minute," Eddy gasped. "What's your problem?"

"Whoever let you in is getting triple shifts," The man growled.

"Ino-hene!" Obe shouted. "Put him down! What's the meaning of this?!"

"Just policing the rules because apparently no one else does! No kids in the construction area! It's not safe," The man nicknamed Ino-hene switched gears in his tirade when a faint melody wafted over the courtyard. It was almost unnoticed in the chaos of construction. "And will someone silence whoever is playing that damn piano?! So help me God I will find them and tear them apart with my bare hands if it keeps up!" The man dropped Eddy to the ground where he landed on his back.

"You alright Eddy?" Obe asked as Eddy scrambled back to his feet.

"Who the hell you calling a kid?" Eddy seethed wanting to breathe steam through his nose. To prevent a dust-up, Obe stood between the dueling factions with a shaky grin.

"My sincerest apologies Ino, I forgot to add my nephew to the registry before I began," Obe conceded with a curt bow. "I was excited by the prospect of working with him that I wasn't thinking right."

"Your forgetfulness will get you killed one day McGee," Ino's eyes softened. Eddy was still fuming.

"That a threat old man?!" Eddy needled.

"I don't make threats. I act on them," Ino retorted stepping forward.

Obe started to sweat as panic filled his heart. "Wa-wa-wa-wait a minute, time out, time out!" He pulled Eddy aside with a swoop.

"You're just letting him walk over ya?" Eddy whispered his face red.

"He is literally fucking crazy right now, I would take this as an opportunity to meet new people," Obe shook like a leaf.

"What?" Eddy's color cooled down.

"Hey Ino~ my nephew volunteered to help you stop your piano problem!" Obe faced back to the gorilla and gave a wave for emphasis.

"Did he now?" Ino snorted cracking his hands.

"Are you serious? I didn't sign up to be an errand boy," Eddy whispered.

"After that, leave or sign the register," Ino commanded leaving the two sweating engineers. "Building 2 level 3 hallway."

And so Eddy went off to find the mysterious pianist. "Picking battles is what sets us apart from the animals, what a load of croc," Eddy grumbled as he ascended the the stairs in Building 2. Just like where he was stationed the air was humid and stale. "I'd like to show that Ino guy some picking battles that's for god damn sure."

The music was louder now so at least he wasn't going in circles. The rooms were what one would expect in a high school setting: desks, boards, windows, the fear of failure, and built in closets. Eddy caught sunlight coming in from the room at the end of the hallway so Eddy ignored the rest. Eddy poked his head into the door and saw a wall of clear glass overlooking the skyline. Eddy whistled in awe at the schools budget. He looked around the room, pool table, ping pong, coffee table and chairs in front of a flat screen television and the source of the music: a large white grand piano with a girl at the keys. The girl was 5'7 with an athletic build and long chestnut brown hair that was half going before her ears and the rest pulled into a ponytail by a white and blue ribbon at the top. She was deeply focused on a black composite notebook resting on top of the keys. She was in the middle of making small adjustments when the utility worker approached. With just a glance at the girl, Eddy felt intimidated. She had a stare that seemed able to build him up, and tear him down at the same time. Before he noticed her emerald eyes meeting his cobalt, he had a blush in his cheeks.

"Hello, do you want a turn?" The girl spoke with a smile as her eyes glowing in the sunlight. Eddy just stood like a statue, then with a slight shake he spoke.

"Hey uh- my boss said that if I find the source of the music that was bothering him and stop it then I can go home," Eddy spoke like he was having a stroke.

"You're working for Nejima? I wasn't expecting him to send someone so young this time," The girl laughed.

Eddy scratched the back of his head a little embarrassed. _This time? Is this an ongoing thing?_ "Well, this is more of a part-time gig while I -uh- go to school."

"Don't mind me asking, but are you enrolled here by chance?" A shine appeared in the girl's eyes when she asked that.

"I-i will be enrolled a-after the festival," Eddy was starting to sweat. He hoped it didn't show.

"It's always refreshing to see new people for a change," The girl mused looking out the window. After a few moments she turned back. "What's your name?"

"Eddy McGee, and you are?"

"Monika," The girl bounced up out of her seat cause her skirt to bellow. Eddy noticed the knee-high socks and …thighs. "Mind if I ask you a followup question?"

"S-sure ask away," Eddy laughed nervously.

"What are your feelings about literature?" Monika asked her face beaming.

This question threw Eddy off for a bit.

"L-like books and that?" Eddy finally stammered out. "I wouldn't know, I don't really- read that much."

"That's pretty honest," Monika remarked walking from the piano. "You'd be surprised how many people would exaggerate around me."

"What can I say?" Eddy was not above getting an ego boost from time to time. "There's no use in lying."

"To answer your question, literature can be more than books: movies, music, we even have a club member who keeps manga in the clubhouse closet." Monika gave a wink.

"Is this a sales pitch?" Eddy asked with a laugh. Eddy's scam radar sounded off a bit. Monika looked like she wasn't prepared for a curve like that.

"I-I was just saying I am the president of a club that specializes in- Literature of all kinds, a-and if you have time in your part-time job maybe you would be interested in coming by for a meeting." Monika's confidence wavered slightly. This was not unnoticed. Eddy felt more calm talking to Monika but something in the back of his mind told him he shouldn't be. A scammer's eyes are powerful tools in times like this.

"I'll keep that in mind, do you have a flyer?" Eddy probed with a smile. He didn't trust her, she was too perfect, too doctored, a Venus fly trap in a tight uniform. He still had to act like he was gullible though.

"I only have my notes, but they're posted on the bulletin boards around the school," Monika pointed to the board across the room.

"Yeah I guessed I missed them," Eddy laughed.

"Sorry to leave, but I have club matters I must attend to, it's nice meeting you Eddy," Monika held out her hand.

"T-the pleasure's all mine," Eddy said grabbing her hand into a handshake. Her hand felt ice cold.

 _She's going to be a problem. Wait, Literature Club? Isn't that the club Boss is a part of?_ Eddy pushed the thought out of his head when he realized he was alone.


	3. Day 1: Evening

Rumor Mill:

"Winds picking up," One of the workers observed finishing his sandwich. A group of festival workers were huddled together in the congregation of food trucks that lined the west exit of the grounds. "A storm?"

"As long as they don't make us fix Tower 6, it may storm forever for all I care," A comment rang out.

"Eventually that hunk of scrap needs to be removed from operation. This is ridiculous watching clouds all day!" Another replied. "Let alone the rumor surrounding it."

A few grumbles followed in agreement.

"Maybe we can get Stormchaser purified," Ino-hene theorized. "It could be a hex causing it."

A retort followed. "Seems to me it's just a big coincidence."

"Is it really though?" Ino asked. "We've all seen the statistics." Eddy's ears pricked up as he threw away his scraps. Obe shook his head as he followed suit. They left the group to their new task.

"The increased number of suicides could be attributed to anything. Using Stormchaser as an excuse seems too simple." The former pondered over his Ramen noodles. A slam is overheard causing the men to look to the cause. A disgruntled Keichi breathed heavily as he clenched his fists on a bench. "Kei-On? You have something to share with the class?"

The foreman rushed off. A scrap of paper was left behind. A few workers passed it around, but no one could read the writing under the marker.

"I have higher clearance. Don't wreck your brain," Ino barked grabbing the slip. All it had was 6:30 scribbled in red over what looked like 2 dimensional letter soup.

 _I'd better let Obe know of this._ Ino thought with a concern as interest in what transpired echoed through the group.

 **Stormchaser** Day 1: Evening

"Yeah sorry about that," Eddy spoke through a smartphone. He was laying in the grass near the parking garage after his shift's end. "Keep forgetting it's night there."

"You don't need to apologize, I know our schedules don't align very well," The voice on the other end crackled through. "How is Japan treating you?"

"I'm still trying to get my way around," Eddy sighed. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Culture shock is a hard thing to manage at first, it's normal to feel out of place when you start living in a new country," The voice reassured him. "One remedy I read about is to take a simple walk around the town. It helps to find similarities between your previous schedule and the new-"

"Are you gonna be a samurai Eddy?" Another voice interrupts the line.

"No Ed I'm not going to be a samurai," Eddy winced at his lummox friend's bellowing. "And can you get any closer to the mic? I don't think they can hear you on Mars!"

"Of course I can!" Ed yelled happily in response. Eddy wished he didn't make that question.

"And I'm deaf now," Eddy grumbled moving his phone to the other ear. "Put Double D back on. I'll call you when I get done with the festival."

"You got it Eddy! Patching through!"

"Thank you Ed," Edd shifted back to his conversation with a giggle. " As I was saying it may help you find things that match what you used to do at home. Like maybe going to a candy store. "

"I'll keep that in mind, anything else going on?" Eddy asked. He needed to wrap it up. His eyes were already watering

"Not unless you have anything you want to add," Edd sounded like he was having trouble with composure as well.

"Just-" Eddy looked to the ground and wiped his face with his sleeve. "I wish you guys were with me."

"H-heaven knows we wish the same," Edd sniffed. "Don't be afraid to call if things get too hectic alright?"

"I gotta get going, talk to you soon," Eddy wiped a tear from his eye.

"Have a nice night Eddy," Edd concluded. Eddy pressed end on the phone and stared at it for a bit. He didn't notice he had someone watcing him.

"You good?" Obe asked startling the lad.

"Where'd you come from?" Eddy asked still a little shook.

"Grandmama always told me I was a miracle child," Obe remarked looking away with a twinkle in his eye. Eddy rolled over with an groan. "How are your friends?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Eddy muttered with a little sadness in his voice. "How are your friends?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Obe replied in a frustrated tone. With that the two sauntered over to Obe's truck and the journey home began. As the truck left the garage Eddy conjured up a question that was nagging him since lunch. "What's Stormchaser?"

"Knew that was coming," Obe muttered under his breath as he pushed his aviator shades up the bridge of his nose. "There's a power station to the west near the river basin. This station uses 6 overhead wire towers to send current downstream for South Market and the Industrial District. 10 years ago a typhoon hits, and nearly took all of them out. For one reason or another, the town council completely botched one of the towers and didn't bother to fix it. This tower became known as Stormchaser for its fun ability to attract lightning strikes. Every single time it storms it would get hit and whole area goes into a blackout. It gets repaired and the cycle continues again"

"What does a power line got to do with people offing themselves?" Eddy loved hearing about rumors and myths. Especially if it involved the more darker shades of suburban living.

"Not really sure myself, I promised myself that I wouldn't get involved in topics concerning that," Obe said turning off the main road.

"I know Keichi is involved," Eddy remarked. "The guy practically lost it during lunch."

"I actually know why that is now," Obe mused. "Ino finally got him to spill the beans."

"No foolin'?" Eddy gave the storyteller the floor.

"Keichi has had a hard life lets just be honest here. I only have a few glimpses into it myself. But let's just say he- the only family he has left is his little sister. She is pretty much what drives Keichi to do anything basically. She also has been dealing with chronic depression for almost her entire life," Obe shook his head. "Keichi is trying to help her and for a while it seemed to get better, but come to find out over the past few days her mental state started deteriorating at a very fast rate. Now he fears she is becoming suicidal and he can't figure out why this is happening."

"Does he have anyone to keep an eye on her when he's gone?" Eddy raised an eyebrow.

"She does have someone, but he's kind of-" Obe stammered for a right word.

"A dick?" Eddy finished the thought.

"He's- got some flaws, but she really trusts him," Obe concluded with a sigh. "And she also has her literature club she's vice president of. So at least she has support there if she needs it."

"Wait are you serious?" Eddy was flabbergasted. "First Boss, then the piano girl and now Keichi's sister? Is everyone a part of this Literature Club?"

"That my friend, sounds like the universe is telling you something," Obe pointed with a smile. The truck pulled up aside their house and Eddy jumped out. He noticed he was the only one doing so.

"You're not going in?" Eddy asked.

"If what they say about the weather tonight they need all the hands they can get," Obe pulled out a slip of paper from his jacket with a sigh. "I got a request for ya."

Eddy's shoulders sunk. "Let me guess, you want me to check on Keichi's sister tonight. Right?"

"Meeting new people may help her, you never know."

"Could of picked better circumstances," Eddy looked around. He felt uneasy about the whole exchange.

"You know that couple we passed by this morning? Keichi lives on that street. Here's the house number," Obe tossed the slip at Eddy hitting him on the nose. "Call me if you need me." And with that Obe's truck rumbled down the street to the next job. Eddy wanted to be pissed but he was more concerned. _I'm not a therapist, how the hell am I supposed to help a suicidal girl?_ With a look of defeat Eddy scooped up the house address.

 _May as well deal with this now,_ Eddy looked at his watch. _6:30, if I hurry I might be able to find a candy store before it gets dark._

He found the house easily after a few minutes. _That old sod took me home to twist the nail._ He gave the door a few knocks and got no response. He tried the knob and the door came open. Not wanting to look the gift horse in the mouth he went into the foyer. It was dark and the air was still _. "_ Hey! Hey!" Eddy spoke into the living room. _What am I doing? I don't know her name. "_ Your brother told me to check on you!"

There was no response from that either. Eddy strained to hear something, literally anything he can use as a clue. _If I back out now I'll never hear the end of it. Let's just look through the house._ He figured upstairs would work and with a few steps a closed door came into Eddy's view. He went up the stairs as softly as he could and crept to the door. Lightly pressing his ear to the door, he heard a weak pained voice whispering out for help. _Double d would be chewing me out about respecting people privacy by now. Well let's see what's behind door number 1._

With a crack of his knuckles, Eddy gently opened the door.


	4. Day 2: Morning

_**His eyes locked with hers, the girl he passed by that morning. Connected to the ceiling fan by a white rope. She was still alive but her grasp on what time she had faded by the second. Her breathing was slow and faint. Her fingers a mix of red liquid and blueish skin with nails pulled outward. As if an outside force pulled a switch in him, Eddy narrowed his eyes and pounced into the room. His eyes burning in a flaming anger.**_

" ** _You're not getting away that easily!_** _**If I can't go neither will you! "**_

 **Stormchaser** Day 2: Morning

Eddy woke to a sharp pain above his right eyebrow. It caused him to recoil and bolt upright into the blinding sunlight that continued to make him curse his bare windows. With a press of his hands he felt a cloth bandage wrapped around his head just above his eyelashes. With a wince he allowed his eyes to adjust on his clock at the nightstand to his right. The clock showed no numbers. _Of course it would storm._ He surveyed his room and found an air mattress with indigo sheets and a red blanket. His eyes widened when he saw the form of the girl from last night. Her head was poking out one end of the blanket on a small pillow. She was facing the wall.

 _If she's dead I have a lot of issues I need to work out._ He shook the thought out of his head. The kid needed to test his theory and after some debate just decided to do the first thing that came to mind. "E-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!" Eddy tried to imitate his alarm clock. After a few tries he blushed red in embarrassment and covered his eyes with his palms. _I'm an adult! I can pay taxes! I can wake up a sleeping girl better than sounding like a deranged goose!_

"Hmm?" Eddy's inner tirade was interrupted by a light groan. With a slight movement slightly bloodshot sky-blue eyes met Eddy. "Hey, did you sleep alright?"

Eddy blinked. "I- feel like I should remember more than I do now. But I believe I did." with a gulp he continued. "What about you?"

She pulled her left arm out from underneath the blanket to try to press into the bandages on her neck. The arm was wrapped tightly in a bandage sheath all the way to her fingertips. "Pretty well, all things considering." She yelped in pain as her fingers grazed her neck.

"D-don't overdo it!" Eddy spoke with a protective tone as he watched the girl try to rise into a seating position on the mattress.

"I'm alright once I'm sitting up," She gave a smile when she finished her struggle to sit. Her attire consisted of a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants. Eddy was a little curious about how she was able to change into her attire. Her expression turned forlorn. "I slept in again. Even on important days like this I can't be relied on."

"I think the blackout made sure that's not an issue," Eddy reassured his guest. He didn't want to address the red ringed elephant in the room.

"I'm not talking about that," The girl bunched up. "I can't even rely on myself to stay in one place so my best friend can check on me. After everything I said to him yesterday, if he- if he goes to my house now- he-" She wasn't able to finish a single thought as she started sobbing. "He going to blame himself I know it~"

Eddy with a heavy heart pulled himself out of bed and walked over to the shaking mass of tears and tape. The air mattress quivered as he sat to the girl's right. He gingerly rubbed his palm along the girl's shoulder blades. "It's alright Sayori, let it out, don't hold back." A piece of last night's puzzle clicked in Eddy's head. The girl responded by pulling Eddy into an embrace. Her heart was pounding.

"I'm so sorry for burdening you with my problems Eddy," Sayori squeaked, her tears soaking through the fabric on her savior's shoulder. "It's just that I'm not supposed to feel like this, I should be grateful for all you did for me last night. I get a new start on life and all I'm doing is showing you how much of a pain I am." Eddy just rubbed her back as she cried. He felt another click in his head.

" _I don't think that, and those feelings don't come immediately after you first wake up from that_ ," Eddy spoke deepening the hug. " _You feel pretty much the same, just more regret. At least that's- how I felt when I first woke up. That's why I'm not concerned if you can't express your feelings right now. You just being here is enough for me now. Just like it will be enough for him."_

He was not aware he was saying this out loud until too late.

He was not aware he wasn't speaking English either.

Like a jolt Eddy returned to his senses. _Wh-where the hell did that come from?_ He thought as he started to shake in fear. Sayori noticed this and began to slowly move her hands against Eddy's back almost as a way to reassure him that he was still sane.

"Th-that took a lot to say, didn't it?" Sayori spoke softy after her breath started slowing down. They broke off their hug and she used her bandages to wipe the tears off her cheeks. A light smile formed on her face as she watched Eddy rise off the mattress to look for shoes.

"You said your best friend was coming to check on you, what's his name?" Eddy mused pulling at his shirt collar and sniffing it.

"Takeshi Sado, RMIN(Rumor Mill Identification Name): Dens-ki," Sayori beamed. Eddy could feel a warmth in her voice at the mention of her friend.

"Guessing you picked that?" Eddy chuckled.

"Ehehe, don't tell him that alright?" Sayori pushed her index fingers together in a pyramid shape. "He's been trying to get rid of it."

"I'm guessing he never gets the majority," Eddy pondered.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Sayori winked.

"I think I'm going to like this town," Eddy said laughing. After some difficulty with her fingers, Sayori was able to finish her daily preparations and the duo went to find the location of Takeshi Sado.

b3MuZGVsZXRlKENoYXJhY3RlcnNcc2F5b3JpLmNocik7DQrigKYNCmRlbGV0ZSBmdW5jdGlvbiBmYWlsZWQ6IG5vIHN1Y2ggZmlsZSBvciBkaXJlY3RvcnkNCnNheW9uYXJhLmV4ZSBwcm9jZXNzIGVuZGVkLg0KQ3RldGhlciBlcnJvcjogdHJhbnNtaXNzaW9uIHVucmVzcG9uc2l2ZQ0Kb3MuaXNFeGlzdHMoc2F5b3JpLmNocik7DQrigKYNCnRydWUNCm9zLmRlbGV0ZShzYXlvcmkuY2hyKTsNCuKApg0KQXJlIHlvdSByZWFsbHkgaW4gY29udHJvbD8gWS9ODQpvcy5sb2dvdXQoKTsNCkFyZSB5b3UgcmVhbGx5IGluIGNvbnRyb2w/IFkvTg0KWQ0K4oCmDQpFcnJvcjogb3MuZGVsZXRlIGlzIG5vdCBhIHZhbGlkIGNvbW1hbmQNCm9zLmxvZ291dCgpOw==


	5. Day 2: Noon

**Stormchaser Day 2: Noon**

Sayori's bedroom held many artifacts from last nights revival, but god help the person that could even decipher a time line from the destruction. Papers littered the carpet and the inevitable minefield of glass shards glinting in the summer sun. The culprit, an eight-finned ceiling fan lay warped on one side of the room completely torn out of the ceiling. The desk nearest the door had red stained scissors stabbed into it with an illegible note that looked like it was gotten by a dog. A desk chair torn and ripped in the back. A stool with half its legs broken. A bed with a few splatches of red on the blanket. And a giant stuffed cow and yellow duck, all seeing, all judging, all silent. Kneeling in the doorway was Takeshi "Denski" Sado, a second-year student of Kokoro Academy. Brown average cut hair, brown eyes, a thin body type with average height. In short very average and safe looking appearance. He was stone-faced as he peered into the disheveled room. It was like watching a painting waiting for it to move. He was so ingrained into the image before him that he didn't notice a short black haired kid poking his cheek trying to get a response. He also didn't notice his bandaged objective hovering over the kid's shoulder.

"Is this normal?" The kid asked continuing his prodding.

"He usually wakes out of it by now," Sayori spoke a little worried. She yelped as Eddy clutched Sado's uniform from the side and shook.

"What are you doing? Collecting moss?" Eddy roared into Sado's ear. "We nearly busted our asses finding you and you're having a tea party!"

"I'm going to see if I have any smelling salts. That usually does the trick," Sayori excused herself and tip-toed around the two to the bathroom next door. Eddy gave up his attempt to wake the statue and sighed.

"This like a thing for meditation or something?" Eddy asked and was answered by small clatter of the medicine cabinet.

"I think it happens when he makes a decision," Sayori answered with more clatter. "Monika tried to explain it to me once but she got too hard to keep up."

Eddy noticed something behind Sado's red tie. A gray lump of plastic rested under the tie knot. It had an egg like shape and a smooth surface. He waved his hands over Denski's face.

"Hopefully this should be enough, I need to buy more off of Yuri when we meet at the club again," Sayori returned with an orange pouch and a soft smile. With a flip and a pour of indigo powder onto Eddy's palm the salts were brought to Sado's nose. A few seconds passed and Pinocchio became a real boy. Sado's head jerked back in recoil causing his whole self to fall backwards.

"H-h-how long was I out?" Sado sputtered out after a fury of sneezes. Eddy laughed inadvertently causing the salts to enter his nose as well. Instead of sneezing Eddy felt his body tense up fiercely in abject rejection.

" We found you," Sayori said simply kneeling down.

"We?" Sado winced at Sayori's throat gauze. Sado turned his head and found Eddy in the fetal position looking back at him with a deep pained trance in his eyes.

"Eddy," Eddy spoke mechanically like he was in another dimension. "I stopped the maiden's sacrifice to the lava tube."

"I saw the rope," Sado spoke looking up. His breathing became shallow. Eddy face dawned in horrible realization. _I didn't cut up the rope!_ _The plan was to mask the entire episode as a freak accident. He knows!_ Sure enough laying near the door was a blood marked rope still in the hangman's loop, a frayed cut in the front was what kept the loop from being intact. It was partially covered by the broken stool.

 _"_ I'm so sorry Takeshi," Sayori cried out pulling Sado into an deep embrace. "You should never have to see something like this."

"No you poured your heart out to me and I rejected you, I sent you over the edge," Sado was shaking. He was fighting himself not to cry. "I should be the one apologizing."

"Please don't blame yourself. I shouldn't of forced all that on you at once," Sayori nuzzled her head on Sado's chest. She had no tears left. "I was scared, the rain clouds were getting worse, I started seeing things that weren't there, hearing voices that weren't there-"

"I can get you the help you need, my parents know people who specialize in depression," Sado reassured. "They are _SNE(See no evil/Speak no evil)_ so you don't have to worry about the Mills."

"Like I said yesterday, I've always had problems with depression, I only know this because I'm already being treated for it. And with medication it was less of a problem until a few days ago," Sayori said.

"I don't understand," Sado looked puzzled.

 _"_ The night after I took you to meet the club, I started hearing the rain clouds." Sayori stopped for a few seconds with a look of concentration. "It's what the mills say happens to victims of Stormchaser before they die."

"Rain clouds wasn't a metaphor?!" Eddy and Sado yelled in unison . _That's why Keichi was so defensive during the Mill._ Eddy realized without uttering a word. A knock from downstairs broke the eerie exchange.

"Coming!" Sayori called out craning her neck to the source. She yelped in pain when the bandages rubbed her neck.

"I'll see who it is," Eddy volunteered getting up from his salt induced nightmare. _Not like I was contributing to the scene anyway._

"I should've stayed with you last night." Sado lowered his head in shame.

"You're here now. That's enough," Sayori gave Sado a genuine smile. The first one she was able to make after being targeted. A blush grew on Sado's face.

Back to the errand Ed-boy, he wobbled a little as he walked to the door. "State your business," He said flatly as he opened the door.

"Well hello again McGee-kun," Monika greeted Eddy with a wave. She looked the same as yesterday. She was carrying a bag of carryout boxes. "When I said maybe we'll see each other again I didn't really mean like this."

 _She smells like melon and cigarettes._ Eddy thought as he opened the door further. "Everyone else is inside."

"Hey," Sayori met her guest as Eddy closed the door behind them. "I'm sorry for not calling."

"From what I see before me, you have a very good reason," Monika left it at that as she rose the bag of food in front of Sayori's face. Sayori's eyes sparkled as her president lightly swung the bag back and forth with a mirthful grin. "Yours is on top."

"Monika?" Sado asked coming down the stairs.

"Ah Takeshi," Monika beamed letting Sayori nab the bag.

"Yay Breakfast!" Sayori hoisted the bag and marched to the coffee table.

"Now we just need Yuri and Natsuki to show and we can have a meeting here," Monika winked at Sado as Eddy snaked around her. Monika huffed. "Ah! Apparently manners are hard to come by in the States."

"We have a problem," Sado broke Monika's complaining with a stern expression. Monika cocked her head in intrigue.

….

The mention of Stormchaser pulled the group atmosphere into a dense fog of subdued emotion. Over the sound of Sayori happily noming on beef strips Monika sighed, "I had my suspicions, but I didn't think the myth had merit."

"According to all these accounts there is definitely a pattern," Eddy added scrolling through Sado's phone. A wedge from Sado's fries hang from his maw. "The sound of rain, the voice of the one you admire the most speaking your inner demons, degradation of mental faculties, dry mouth it's all here."

"I have to emphasize the dry mouth," Sayori replied gulping her unfortunate saucy prey. "Not a fun time."

"Everything else is fine though," Eddy remarked with a smirk.

"Ehehe~ You know what they say, a little existential trauma builds character," Sayori smiled.

"Am I the only one who is acting normal in this equation?!" Sado yelled angrily.

"Sometimes laughter helps people cope with a bad situation," Monika tried to reassure Sado with a pat on the shoulder.

"Yeah it's better than being melodramatic all the time," Eddy added cramming a ham and cheese sandwich into his face.

"Does anyone notice we're having a That 70's Show circle scene?" Sayori mused She then raises her hand. "I nominate myself the Kelso of the group!"

Sado clutched his head in frustration and tried to plead to reason. "Monika do you have any ideas?"

Monika pondered for a few seconds. "I'll have to be the Donna of the group."

"I DON"T MEAN THAT!" Sado yelled.

"Hyde everyday and twice on Sundays!" Eddy air-fived Sayori.

"I love it," Sayori gave her seal of approval. "Natsuki can be Jackie, and Yuri would be Fez! Now Takeshi, you will have to be Eric by default."

"Wha?" Sado was incredulous. "I don't get to choose?"

"Our character's relationship is cannon," Monika blushed heavily.

"To answer your question Sado, apparently we don't have to do a thing. Stormchaser never targets the same person twice," Eddy concluded.

"That just means another person is going to get targeted when the power comes back on," Sado argued. "We need to destroy it or something."

"That is uncharacteristically bold of you to suggest," Monika remarked finishing off her pita bread.

"Am I wrong though? Look at the way the town looks at this situation. Any mention of Stormchaser is met with a bunch of "oh wells" or "glad it ain't me". There are even death pools that are happening now. People are betting on who will die first!" Sado was shaking again this time in indignation. Monika looked away from Sado as a wave of shame washed over her.

"I like property destruction as much as any delinquent, but the only things that would happen would be we get jailed and all our work would be undone in a day," Eddy interjected.

"He's right Sado, I'm happy to see you care for the well-being of others but things like these are too big to handle ourselves," Sayori added digging into her rice. She noticed the container was half full. "I've had my fill of this does anyone want what's left?"

"Stop the presses, The VP is sharing her food," Monika teased. Sayori stuck out her tongue in response.

"I'll take it, I'm a sucker for curry," Eddy obliged. The container gingerly swapped masters.

"Eddy your uncle's an electrician, would he have some reference books on the subject we can use?" Sado finished his half for the fries.

"Too. Muff. Maff." Eddy muffled through rice. He gulped. "It's like reading another foreign language."

"I think we need to table this discussion for later," Monika suggested. A twinkle appeared in her eye. "McGee-kun, you know I was going to ask again."

"Yea yea twist my arm will ya? I'll be there tomorrow with bells on," Eddy grumbled.

"You won't regret this Eddy, I promise," Sayori eyes sparkled.

"I think I missed something in this conversation," Sado said.

"You're not the only man in this club anymore Sado," Eddy grinned. "Looks like we're rivals now Denski!"

Sado blinked. "When did that happen?"

"Don't overthink it," Eddy laughed. "I'm just going to overtake you with my writing skills."

"I doubt you can write your own name without spellcheck," Sado eyes gleamed with determination.

"I don't need spellcheck to do your poems Denski," Eddy rose from his seat grinning ear to ear. "Adventure, Romance, Tears, Heart, Passion, Fun,"

"Yay! My words!" Sayori interjected happily.

"You know I use complete sentences," Sado leered his younger opponent down mostly because of the height difference.

"And I will use your complete sentences to wipe my ass," Eddy retorted returning his rivals glare.

"Now kiss," Monika commanded with a smile. The two men recoiled back to their seats.

"That was very lewd Miss President," Sayori laughed trying to hide her blush. The group slowly broke into laughter and the lunch chugged along in the shade of the quiet day.


	6. Day 2: Alternate Perspective

**Yousuke Sado(RM Recording Transcript)** **\- As far as we are concerned we don't exist outside the system. The knowledge of that is always hard to swallow at first. The system creates your past, your identity and your function from an algorithm no one is allowed or able to understand fully. And all we know about our place outside the system is a small series of letters that show the system where we are. Knowing that if we die, that series of letters is given to something or somebody else and the system continues like we never even mattered. Without our address we cease to exist, no death, no remembrance by loved ones, no dreams and aspirations, just a potted plant in your spot. This is the fate of the file-less. Awareness of this fate always comes with it a terrible cost.**

 **Stormchaser: Alternate Perspective**

Keichi - "Somehow I knew this day would be harder than normal."

Obe - "You need to be strong for her Kei-On, you're her "father" after all."

 _Obe-ni teases like he's at the bar with old friends. How is he always calm in situations like this. The gunfire is creeping to us along with the screams. I can't focus. I can barely hold my sidearm without the barrel swerving._

O - "This is just vermin detail. Nothing we haven't dealt with before."

K - "These girls are not vermin Obe!"

 _The radio affixed to my chest strap vibrates to life. I try to control my breathing._

Ino-hene - "You guys having sex in that truck?"

O - "Thought you were dead Ino, we were celebrating."

K - "H-he didn't mean that."

I - "We finished your side of the re-route. Bring Amagumo to the south."

K - "How many Violets are still in play?"

I - "1 on sight alone. Don't get fooled by that. This bitch can aim."

 _That "bitch" had a family and friends._

 _No no don't make that connection!_

 _I can't humanize a corrupted character file. People's lives are at stake._

 _Obe inserts a new cartridge into his rifle. My paranoia forces me to refresh my revolver with fresh hollow-point._

 _Obe jerks back as a blade bursts through the hull of the truck narrowly clipping him in the head. The dagger embedded itself on the opposite wall._

 _The blade was a clip-point Bowie knife with a smooth oak finish on the handle._

O - "Well Ino wasn't kidding about her prowess. You ready?"

K - "No, but that's more me than the situation."

 _I tried to pull the knife out and with a little resistance it slid out with a metallic squeak._

 _I held it up with a stern expression._

 _Obe grinned like a wild man. His stance to the unknown was a breath of fresh air in the smoke of our failing empire._

O - "Let's earn our address."

 _Light poured into the truck as the back door bounced back against its hinges with a clang._

 _Obe breached the cover of the truck and raced out into open air aiming and firing his AR-15 into the air to his left._

 _I followed out after him but hooked right, and followed the truck perimeter to the driver side door._

 _I was able to see the battlefield once I knew my feet were covered by the front tires._

 _The road we were given curved to the right between the river and a small grassy field. Cherry trees lined the road on both sides._ _My eyes immediately oversaw the fate of Tower 6 in between two of them._

 _Tower 6's glowing remains loomed on the other side of the river. The crosshatch of girders threaten to drop the entire tower as they creak in their bolt fixtures._

 _A tall shadowy figure appeared at my 2 o clock followed by a glint of light._

 _I duck. Then I responded in kind with two shots of the 9mm._

 _The figure staggered and fell to the ground face forward like a puppet without strings._

K - "I'm sorry, may you find peace in another town."

 _I can't humanize someone already lost, but at least I can give her some dignity._

 _She was a Doki after all. That distinction already gave her death and sorrow before._

 _A whistle caught my attention as a shadow loomed over my position._

 _I had to dive out of the way as a bright orange feathered eagle the size of a two story house swooped into the truck with its talons raised. The eagle's talons dug into the truck causing all the windows on that side to shatter._

 _With a guttural feminine chirp and a flap of its impressive wingspan, the eagle lifted the wrecked vehicle as it climbed in altitude._

 _My radio vibrated as Obe yelled._

O - "Kei-On! You good?"

K - "Yeah thanks for the call out."

O - "I hate birds!"

 _An understatement if there ever was one._

 _The eagle discarded her new slippers, landed on a tree, and turned herself to face me._

 _Her eyes shine with an ethereal blue glow contrasting the caked blood and gore that accumulated on the birds face from her earlier meals. The bird's crown had a ruffled autumn toned plumage that followed down the back and around the wings to her elongated tail feathers. The underside of the bird had a darker subdued color of feathers._

 _The bird had a large diamond shaped hole in its chest. Something was forcing me to look inside that hole and every time I did, I felt a burning sensation in my eyes. There was something in that hole that I needed to see but the bird was too far away to get a good look. All I could decipher of it was that it grew and shrunk as the bird breathed and it looked to pulsing with a swirling miasma of letters, words,_ _colors-_

 _ **p-possibilities**_

 _ **Knowledge**_

K- "Gah!"

 _I yelp in agony as a deep burning cold zaps through my arms and legs._ _Oh god what am I doing? I-I I have to stop staring at that hole. With a jerk I try to force myself away._

 _A loud screeching fills my head in response, my eyes are burning, goddammit where did all these flashes come from. I jerk wildly back at the bird._

 _The bird narrowed her eyes at me as if in confusion and with a caw, began flying again._

 _I reeled as a pounding in my head caused my vision to pulse. My body feels like it's made of stone._

 _I had no choice but to follow the teasing bird with my eyes as it flew back to the glowing ruins behind the river._

 _I spot Obe near the fallen Violet. He has a pensive expression as he took a knee near the body. He spoke into the radio but I can't hear what he's saying. Why didn't he look at the bird? Why isn't he noticing I'm having trouble? I try to call out to him._

K -"T2xseSEgSS1pJ20gaGF2aW5nIHRyb3VibGUgbm93LiBDLWNhbiB5b3UgaGVscCBtZT8="

 _I coughed and covered my mouth as bile filled my throat, something covered my voice. Obe didn't even look in my direction._

 _The system silenced me from getting involved in the affairs of Dokis._

 _J-just because I'm a file-less my pain is not as important as a damn Color?!_

 _I-I can't feel my heart. What the hell is happening to me? What the hell is happening to my eyes?_

 _No, I have my sister back! I can't go down like this! I have dreams too goddammit!_

 _I will not be denied my right to exist again!_

 _ **I'm stronger than that!**_

 _ **I'm aware to everything this system has now!**_

 **T1MuT1ZFUlJJREUoWDM3N0Q0KQ0KT1ZFUlJJREUgUEFTU1dPUkQ6ICoqKioqKioqKg0KT1ZFUlJJREUgQ09ERSBBQ0NFUFRFRCA=**

 _This system, this game, this horrible existence may give me no closure, but that bird gave me the next big thing._

 _I can use this knowledge, I have the time but I need to finish my job first. It's only professional after all._

 _I got closer and heard sharp breathing followed by an anguished cry as Obe-ni placed pressure with his left hand over the gun wound in the DOKI's waist to try and stop-,_

 _That- that ring._

 _G-glowing eyes._

 _That- is not my best friend._

 _I aim my gun at the impostor's head._

K - "FOR THE FILE-LESS! DEATH TO THE CICADA PRESIDENT!"

 _The long haired DOKI screams and the man turns to me in surprise. Oh, now you hear me._

 _I pull the trigger._

 _I forget how effective hollow-point is at this range as the shot tears a hole in the foreigner's skull on both sides._

 **-ADDRESS LOST-**

 _A loud caw reverberates through the cherry trees._

 _Oh yeah, Ama-chan is attracted to loud noises._

 _The purple haired girl is coated in the McGee's blood, too stunned at my resolve to speak I see._

 _McGee's body is already starting to fade away._

 _I hear a angered caw overhead._

 _Just take the shot and run._

 _I aim at the girl's head, I can see the tears fell down her face as her whole body shook in a feeble plea for mercy._

 _She griped her head and screams in abject terror as my finger wraps around the trigger._

 _Inability to face death with dignity is normal for character files like her._

 _I pull the trigger-_

 ** _-bang-_**

 _A shot rings out from my right and a horrible pain erupts from my right side below my ribs. The jolt sends my aim way off as the pain sends me reeling to the ground._

 _A man with white hair and a black uniform barrels in between me and the violet._

 _Amagumo is above us now as the man wrestles my gun away. I roar in pain as the man brings his foot down over the gunshot in my side._

K - "INO! YOU DAMN TRAITOR! I WAS GOING TO SAVE EVERYONE!"

 _He responds by slamming his foot down again. T-the pain is excruciating now._

 _The hole in Amagumo is glowing brightly in a pure white light._

Violet - "Asaki-san! Look out!"

 _Ino turns to look as the abomination as the hole pulsed and rapidly constricted. He dives towards the violet as the hole sent all the white energy outward._

 _This- energy reminds me- of- a sunbeam._

 _I-it burns._

 **-ADDRESS LOST-**

Keichi(RM Final Record transcript) - My name is Keichi Onzai. My RMIN is Kei-On, a play on my name and the manga series K-On. Chosen for my past with the Kokoro Academy's Anime Club. I was president of the club until my parent's died in a head on collision on route 187 10 years ago. I was given custody of my little sister to keep her from being a ward of the state. To care for her I became a responsible adult at age 16. I did so many things to keep food on the table and a roof over us. Things that on the outside seemed like I was torturing myself. I fear maybe that's why Sayori grew resentful of herself over the years. She said before she felt like she was selfish because of the food I didn't eat so she could eat, or the sleep I didn't go to so that she could. I used to get deathly sick and still went to work even though she begged me not too. I pushed myself to make her happy but all I did was push her into heartache and loss. Sayori you didn't force me to do the things I did. I chose this life so you can choose yours. That is what I always wanted. You to have all the freedom this place has to offer. I chose because I love you and I wanted to protect you. You have to do the same for yourself, and I know you can if you don't think you can. You are not selfish, you are loved. Mom and Dad would of said the same. Goodbye baby sister, the sun is shining even in stormy skies.

Olly(RM Final Record transcript) – My name is Oliver Jacob McGee. My RMIN is Obe-ni, I chose that myself because that was my youngest nephew Eddy's favorite nickname for me when he was a baby. I am a reformed Scammer, a jack-of-all-trades, and knew way too much about the world than I had any right to. Eddy, if you are listening to this, I'll try to keep this short. You know how I am with formality. Whatever you are dealing with right now, you are not alone. People will love you and support you just like I tried to do. If you are able to find happiness, even a little bit in a place like this. The right people will help nurture that. If you are happy, I will have no regrets. Goodbye nephew, I love you and so did your Trifecta. We are with you Eddy, Always.

–

Ino-hene(Radio) - "Reroute complete. Power restored. Stormchaser is lost. Those of you still alive, leave this area and never speak of this again. Beginning abstraction and rollback."

 **-PERSPECTIVE END-**

 **STORMCHASER SEQUENCE END**

 **KOKORO CULTURE FESTIVAL BEGIN**


	7. Day 2: Evening

**The Box of Traps and Treasures**

 **I was given a puzzle box.  
** **A box of rods and gears.  
** **With a wood varnish that  
** **Haven't been touched in years.**

 **Any time I tried to open this box  
** **I end up leaving it where it stands  
** **Because every time I try to use force  
** **A hidden blade cuts my hands.**

" **The box is magical,"  
** **The merchant's pitch was strong.  
** **She sold it to me  
** **After I spent my time in the Falls too long.**

" **It is said to repair holes,"  
** " **And find what they lost,"  
** " **But once you find their answer,"  
** " **There will be a big cost."**

" **Anything this box has I'll use,"  
** **I told the merchant with glee.  
** **And the next thing I knew  
** **I awoke with the box near the metal hanging tree.**

 **Someone wants the box  
** **Will it give them hope or dread?  
** **The box the woman of emerald sold me.  
** **As she dug it into my head.**

 **Kokoro Culture Festival **Day 2: Evening

"Ok, they must of put something weird in that curry," Eddy resolved placing his palm against his head. The gang made an attempt to clean up Sayori's room after lunch, however with no power came with it slow progress. When the power came back an hour after they started the cleanup, Eddy had a terrible sinking feeling in his gut. He started sweating and he had to bow out of the effort. A panic started when Eddy started breathing heavily and shake.

"D-do you need to go to the bathroom?" Sayori asked in a worried tone throwing a blanket over the immigrant. She then sat next to him on the couch in the living room. "You look really pale."

"No," Eddy stammered slumping over with clenched fists. "I-If I rest it goes away on its own."

"Do you need to see somebody?" Sado asked returning to the living room with a water glass and pain medicine. He also had a manila colored folder that he rested on the coffee table. Sayori turned her eyes to it in interest.

"Like I said this doesn't happen all the time," Eddy's breath was staggered as he plucked the white capsules from his rival's palm. "Thanks Sado." With a swig from the glass the pills disappeared with a light gulp.

 _This is not good._ Monika thought trying to find some way to assist the ailing kid. After some debate she decided to just try to rub Eddy's lower back. _Something changed in the script. I can feel it. If this is a mod, it definitely isn't subtle in event handling._ She glanced at Takeshi or rather the gray thing under his tie. _Sado doesn't seem to be speeding through frames to a decision. This must be an unique experience._ She then eyed her VP. _And if it was a larger event cascade, Sayori would have been affected by it too. No, this only involves the kid and in some extension me as well. I better check out his address when I get a chance._ "Sayori, don't you have a guest bedroom he can use to try and sleep?" Monika poked the sentient cinnamon bun.

"Ah!" Sayori yelped startled. "Sorry I got distracted, It's the door after the bathroom upstairs."

"My house is nearby," Eddy mumbled. "I could take a bath, that usually works too."

"You're not walking outside like this," Sado firmly put his foot down. "I won't allow it."

"Yeah, even if you did make it home, what if your condition gets worse?" Sayori's eyes wavered as her mind ran a thousand outcomes neither of them ending up wholesome.

Eddy's chin rested on his chest. The pills were taking the edge off but this was still the worse he felt in a while. Eddy was alone if he just up and went home. _Damn panic attacks_ He thought glancing into the Genki girl's sky blue eyes. "That's a good question," He spoke softly after a small droop of his head.

"It's settled then, you'll stay the night here. If you are up to it you, Takeshi, and Sayori will head to the school together in the morning," Monika planned.

"I have industrial watch 5 to 7 tomorrow morning, it's more or less looking for things," Eddy rubbed his eyes. "If I play my cards right, I may not even need to leave the truck."

"You need to feed the bird tomorrow?" Sado looked up.

"No thank god," Eddy waved off the thought, the blanket covering him bellowing outward. A burning sensation grew in his back. He tried his best to ignore it but rubbing the palm of his left hand with his right thumb. "I can barely keep my food down now. Much less watching that thing tear into cow carcass."

"I don't know what people see in Amagumo," Monika blurted out. "To me it seems kind of creepy that everyone just sort of accepts that we have a giant eagle flying around destroying overhead lines now."

"I dunno," Sayori mused. "I think Ama-chan is kind of cute in a cosmic sort of way, and it's better than having to deal with Stormchaser." Eddy and Sado nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of dealing with things," Eddy pointed to the folder with a pained shiver. "What's the deal with that?"

"I found it poking out from under the dryer," Sado answered rubbing his chin. "Nearly slid on it trying to find the vacuum. Have you seen it before Sayori?"

"Not recently, I would of tripped on it myself much earlier," Sayori slid the folder closer to her reach. With a light flip the folder opened to yellowed sheets of printer paper. On the first page was a nearly faded blue stamp. The stamp was a box with the words, "Belongs to:" followed by a blank line underneath. The pages afterwards had odd drawings of dissected objects with lines pointing to prominent pieces of the drawing with instructions. References to Sado and Sayori were in these instructions. Like "Sado, hold this side up while I screw in the gear," and "Sayori don't touch this while it's running you'll get burned."

"Who's the "I" in this?" Eddy asked intrigued. _These looks like blueprints for Scams._ He thought as the two childhood friends looked at each other in thought. They didn't have an answer for this. The folder gave more pages of cryptic plans until Sayori's eyes light up in delight.

"Hey! This one looks like Mr. Rabbit!" Sayori smiled.

"It does, doesn't it?" Takeshi had a light smile form.

Eddy and Monika looked at each other then back to the folder. The page referenced was a cross-section of patchwork in the shape of a floppy eared bunny in a sun dress.

"I know what this folder is! I'll be right back!" Sayori bounced up off the couch and sped up the stairs to her room. Eddy gingerly slid the folder to him. Monika craned her neck over the boy's shoulder to to read. 3 more pages of blueprints followed until the end of the folder. The back of the folder had pen writing on it.

"A poem?" Monika asked to no one in particular. Eddy and Sado looked down to the folder.

 **Little girl, little girl  
** **Little girl of sand.  
** **I made your arms out of twigs.  
** **So they can hold your hand.**

 **Little girl, little girl  
** **Little girl of clay.  
** **I made your legs out of metal scrap.  
** **So you can play all day.**

 **Little girl, little girl  
** **Little girl of string.  
** **I fixed buttons for your eyes  
** **Great beauty they will bring.**

 **Little girl, little girl  
** **Little girl of stone  
** **I brought you with all your friends  
** **So you'll never be alone.**

 **Little girl, little girl  
** **Little girl in the rain  
** **I made all these friends for you  
** **Why do you still feel pain?**

 **Little girl, little girl  
** **Back to the bench I go  
** **When I make the perfect friend  
** **I'll be back to let you know**

 **Little girl, little boy  
** **Sayori and Sado  
** **Hold on to this until I return  
** **With love, Nanako**

Eddy's mind flowed with a strange sense of nostalgia. He thought back to when his scam book was just a few leaflets. These small leaflets formed as a result from his first real scam. The Bottomless Ed.

...

Eddy(RM Recording Transcript): _Truth be told The Bottomless Ed was not really a scam in any real sense of the word. It was created more as a test on my new friend's strength than any monetary value but if I could snag a few jawbreakers for the work why not right? It was simple, a mere 25_ _ **cents(System equivalence)**_ _and you get to see a 5 year old kid eat a television whole. Anyone would pay 25 cents to see a 5 year old eat a television whole, hell I would pay top dollar now to watch someone eat a television whole! All the scams I made back then were simple, I was never one for actually tinkering with things. So the technical aspects of my scams were basically: 1. Have_ _ **Ed**_ _(_ _ **Name not in system**_ _) do something, and 2. Money. Knowing what I know now the Bottomless Ed failed because of a_ _ **pigeon**_ _'s (_ _ **RM Reference - Scammer slang: Customer of lower street intelligence than the average intelligence of the Scammer Trifecta)**_ _need for "plausibility". The only customer we got was disgusted by the show and didn't cough up the dough. That aspect was a failure but it did create an opportune encounter with our much needed_ _ **brain(RM Reference – Scammer slang: The Architect of a Scam idea)**_ _of the Trifecta. With Edd, all the pieces had fallen into place. All I needed was the perfect idea._

…

 _ADDRESS COPIED TO -Unknown-_

 _ADDRESS CLEANUP COMPLETE_

…

The feeling of nostalgia disappeared as soon as it appeared. Eddy's breathing has returned to normal. The shaking, headache, and sinking feeling all dissipated as well. Eddy was a little confused about all this.

 _Note to self: Read the expiry date when you make anything in Sayori's house._ Monica shivered reading from the error codes. _That ham was old enough to learn to talk._

A series of loud rustling noises from Sayori's room startles the group."You alright?" Eddy yelled upstairs.

"Just a little digging that's all," Sayori called out with a hint of defeatism. "You're right Takeshi, I do need to clear this cabinet out."

"Thank you for finally acknowledging it," Sado smiled contently. Eddy laughed.

"Nanako seemed to be very well educated for someone so young." Monika remarked handing the folder back to Sado.

"I wouldn't say she was really young. She's only a year younger than Sayori, so that would have made her eleven when she went away," Sado mused.

"She meant that Nanako seems very smart despite being eleven at the time," Eddy clarified.

"R-right," Sado looked embarrassed. "She was the smart one in our trio. Always had something brewing in her head whenever we hung out together. Whether it was a new toy we needed to get parts for, or a new path in the woods she wanted to explore."

"Why put in all this effort for toys?" Eddy asked. "Seems to me it would have been easier just to scrounge money together to buy toys."

"I kind of agree with you, Nanako and Sayori were friends before I met them and they were making toys before that," Sado rubbed his chin.

"Maybe it was a sentimental thing." Monika chirped softly.

"Sentimental?" Eddy asked turning back to face his president.

"Sometimes buying something is not enough," Monika thought out loud out loud after a few minutes of rustling. "Maybe Nanako believed that making something with people she loved meant more than buying that thing in the store. Anyone can just buy a toy, not everyone has the drive to plan, gather supplies, and build one with their friends."

Eddy couldn't help but feel a little warm inside. _Switch toys with fleecing and she would have been talking about us._ He thought pridefully but was brought back to reality by Reformation. _No she probably hates Scammers. She seems like the type of girl who doesn't give the time of day to people who try to manipulate people._ _Wouldn't really blame her though._

"I found it!" Sayori cheered holding up a framed photo. She went down the stairs and presented it. The photo contained three figures. Just by initial observation Sado is in the middle of the frame. His hair was shorter and he had a couple band-aids on his face and arms. He wore a dirty white shirt, brown cargo shorts, black-red sneakers, and a mischievous smirk. He was holding hands with the girl on the left. Younger Sayori had longer hair and had band-aids on her arms as well. She wore a pink dress and black running shoes. Her eyes seemed to shine as she gave a mirthful smile. She was carrying a small rabbit doll that looked like it was stitched together with many scraps of found fabric. The doll had button eyes and a yellow shirt. The girl on the right was a little taller than the other two. She had straight black hair that went pass her shoulders. She was pulling back her bangs back with her hands. She had a rounded face with a tan complexion to her skin. She wore a black T-shirt, silver shorts and no shoes or socks. A prominent description the girl had was her eyes. She had Heterochromia, one eye was blue and the other eye golden. She had a look of surprise, like the photo was taken faster than she thought it should.

Eddy noticed something odd in the photo but couldn't place what it was.

"That's a good photo of us," Takeshi remarked.

"It's pretty much the only photo of her left." Sayori added warmly. "I'm glad it's still in good shape."

"Takeshi said you and Nanako were friends before he joined your group," Monika recalled leafing through the folder again in respect for the mysterious girl's ingenuity. "How did you and Nanako meet?"

Sayori's eyes lowered as if she was debating herself. She took a seat next to Eddy and with a sigh she began, "When I was 8, a typhoon hit the town in the middle of the night. No one got hurt by the storm or anything, but there were a lot of damages because of the rain the storm brought with it. The riverbed wasn't deep enough yet to handle the excess water so it flooded the Industrial District and half of South Market. It came too fast for some people to get out of the way in time and a lot of them became trapped even after the storm passed. Daddy had a boat, so he, Keichi, and I took it over to the Industrial District to help get people out. First trip out on the boat we saved 5 people, Second trip out: 7. By the third outing the Rumor Mill had enough boats in circulation that we didn't have to continue if we didn't want to. Daddy wanted to though, he was a very compassionate man. We rowed through the side of the riverbed on Stormchaser's side and came upon a small shack half submerged in the river. Keichi said that he heard crying coming from that shack. Daddy brought the boat closer and there was, so we whistled a nearby trawler. It was then that I started hearing a strange creaking sound coming from underneath the shack. Keichi must have heard it too. Without even a glance in our direction he jumps out of the boat and swam to the shack scaring us half to death. Minutes pass and the sounds were getting worse. Keichi reappears in the river with a girl on his back. The trawler we whistled was able to net him out of the water. Daddy rowed down to the search boat as a horrible scrapping noise broke from the shack. The river dragged the shack out of its support and slammed the structure into the supports of Tower 4 a mile downstream. We only knew this from the Mill, we didn't see what happened to the shack afterwards. Daddy was furious when he reached the trawler. That fury didn't last as we saw Keichi try to console the little girl in his arms. She looked like she was dressed in a potato bag and her body was covered in deep bruises and bite marks. She was attacked by a Coral Breaker before getting trapped in the shack. She was expression-less and felt cold to the touch. We dressed her wounds and tried to get her to talk, but nothing came out except _What is my name?_ Everything we asked her she would answer with that." Sayori seemed to be struggling to speak as she tried rubbing her neck. A series of coughs came out.

"Don't force it," Sado got up and ran into the kitchen.

"You did really good on that," Eddy said patting Sayori on the head. "Exposition is hard to do in your condition."

Sayori and Monika looked at Eddy in confusion but this mutual expression was dropped when Sado returned with a cup of ice chips.

"Here, this should help your throat," Sado sounded like a nurturing father.

"T-thank you," Sayori winced. She grabbed a few and popped them into her mouth.

"Denski coming in clutch!" Eddy pointed to Sado with a grin.

"It sounds like you're feeling better as well," Sado remarked smiling at his friend's gesture. Sayori nodded in agreement. Eddy scratched the back of his head his grin wavering in the spotlight.

"L-like I said," Eddy looked to Monika for a few seconds then turned back. "I bounce back pretty fast."

 _Why did he do that?_ Monika thought as she turned her eyes away from the conversation. _And why does that comment about exposition feel familiar to me?_ _I'm reading too much into this. He probably meant it as a joke._

"That's good to hear," Sayori rubbed Eddy's head with a playful giggle. "I can't let one of my heroes get hurt if I can help it."

"H-hero?" Eddy asked a blush appearing in his cheeks. "I wouldn't really call myself a hero, I was just in the right place. Anyone would of done the same thing in a situation like that."

"Anyone didn't save my life, you did," Sayori smiled as a tear fell down her cheek. She pulled the Ed-boy into an embrace. She rubbed her cheek against Eddy's hair. Eddy quickly heated up as his blush grew deeply. "You are a hero, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

 _As if the guilt I already have is painful enough the mod developer wants to twist the knife. I see how it is. I'm not looking at this._ Monika switched her gaze to Sado. He was smiling but he had a dark look in his eyes. His hands were clenched into fists. Monika began hearing a deep piercing noise slowly rise in pitch in her head as the grey thing started to disintegrate.

 _No no no no please don't leave!_ Monika screamed in her head as her vision started to tunnel.

The gray thing disappeared from Sado's chest in a cloud of dust.

"No don't leave please!" Monika yelled out gripping her head in fear. Everyone jumped up in surprise. "I'm sorry! I'll make this right my love!"

The world blacked out around her.  
 _  
Don't take me back there! I love you!_

 _ **EwegwegdsgsdgsghherwhfaeuifbweuifbSDUipfbSDUkgpBSDgkpbsdbupbsubipSguipsguongsdngjbvj;bxjcl;bnjxlcbnbjxcnbjlxncblxncbxncbjxncbjnxcjbnnfdusdguosdngsdgnsdgndncnxcbnxcbnxcbjnbjnnnnnnnnnjDSBL:SDBNDBSD;bnsdo;sdbsdb;sndusdovndsvnsdvsd;nvsdnsdvnsdvosdnvsdvnsdnsdnsdlnsdjlvnsdjvbsdbsdjsjdlvbsjdlbsjdblnSjl'bnsbns'bnsdjbnsdjblSjbSDjbl'sdbjSNbjlsb**_ -


	8. Day 3: Morning

The atmosphere of Sayori's house was reminiscent of a new rental property. It was like this because if you woke up in there you would of never thought anyone actually lived there. The guest room as an example had furniture but it was more utilitarian than aesthetic: one twin bed with white sheets and a green felt blanket, one nightstand with a lamp and an electronic clock, one empty 3 layer oak drawer, and a wall mounted television with a shelf for the cable box underneath. There was only nail holes in the walls, and the only thing with bright color was the red curtain for the window overlooking the bed on the right. Needless to say, it showed that it was someone's room at one time, but the essence of the person was scrubbed out years ago. The room was filled with the sound of the ceiling fan.

 _It's the day of the festival!_ Eddy thought trying to slap himself awake at 4 in the morning. _Time to look for holes with some holes._ He rubbed the "sleepies" out of his eyes and wobbled out of bed to his feet. He pulled the collar of his shirt and smelled the opening. _I can probably fake it, but you never know with that girl._ He then touched his bandage headband. _I should at least remove this thing. It's starting to itch._ Trying to be stealthy he opened the door into the hallway. The hallway was the shape of an L with the guest room door at the corner. The wing to the left went to the stairs and the wing ahead of the door led to the master bedroom. The first thing he noticed out in the hallway was his club president sleeping in a queen sized bed in the master bedroom. She was in the fetal position under the dark blue blanket on her right side. Judging by looking at her mannerisms, her sleep was turbulent. _A nightmare? After what happened last night, I'm surprised she can sleep. Stress related mental breakdowns are hard to recover from, I hear._ He turned to Sayori's room to his left. _Wonder how those two are holding up._ The itching from his band made him choose to go to the bathroom on the way.

He turned the light on in the bathroom, did what he needed to do, then went to the mirror as the toilet flushed. _Maybe the gauze I used was overkill._ He thought rummaging the cluttered medicine cabinet for scissors. Which he found after nearly cutting his fingers on it. His eyes narrowed as he clipped the bandage in the back. _I need to take these too._ The sight of cuts in Sayori's arms flashed through his mind. He gritted his teeth.

 _Blond hair?_

Eddy brushed off that ponder and with a few more clips, the bandage was off. The gash over Eddy's right eyebrow was scabbed over. _At least it won't scar. Don't need the extra attention._ He dropped the bloody rag into the waste bin and pocketed the scissors. With a small creak of the door and a click of the light switch Eddy returned to the hallway with relief.

He was met with a soft crying sound coming from Monika's room. Eddy sighed as he went to Sayori's room to try and find something to fix this problem. He creaked open the door and found Sayori and Sado sharing a bed together. Sado was on his back in a neutral pose. The gray thing was missing from his chest. A brown wash cloth was over his eyes. Sayori was curled up with her back on Sado. She had a slight whistling snore that happened when she inhaled. Her bow was on a splintered part of the base board. _At least they seem fine._ Eddy remarked in his head. He looked around from his position in the door and found a plush on the desk to his left. It was a yellow deer teddy with a green dress. It had white buttons for eyes. _A Nanako original?_ Eddy wondered dangling the deer by its arm. _It's not therapy, but it will do for now._ He went back out to the hallway gently closing the door behind him.

The sound of crying was slowly being replaced by choking when the smell of burning wood graced Eddy's nose. Eddy mind whirled as he ran around the corner. He had to stop in his tracks as fear gripped his heart. In the door to Monika's room was Sayori. Her skin was gray and cracked. Her hair and clothes were charred at the ends. And the parts of the clothes that weren't burn was lined by a fine layer of grayish soot. Her neck was surrounded by a halo of coiled rope with orange embers embedded under the strands. The halo was moving clockwise around her head and was growing in width with a trail of rope leading down her right arm. "Sayori" had her hand outstretched in front of her, and the rope continued under the hand into the room. The rope lead up, looped around the fan then dropped straight to the girl who was sleeping in the queen sized bed. It didn't bother to knot into a noose as it snaked around Monika's neck like a python. The rope seemed to be pushing her head down as she kept trying to pull the rope away to breathe. The rope turned the tears that touched it to steam.

 _ ***I hope you appreciate my creativity, this is such short notice**_

The voice of the girl was harsh, and creaky. Like her vocal chords were burned by the flame that claimed the rest. The rope clamped harder with a cracking noise and Monika's anguished sobbing sent Eddy into a panic. He tried to find anything to hit the attacker with but he couldn't get anything close to him without attracting the grayish-red haired girl's attention. _Wait wait wait scissors, sharp- scissors, scissors beat rope, scissor beats rope, rock beats scissors, hit it with a rock! No I have no rocks!_ Eddy grasped at literally anything to stop the horror show unraveling before him. His resolve started to fray in exasperation.

 _What is with this town?!_ _Can anyone get any peace and quiet for once?!_ Eddy thought as he continued his fruitless planning. Monika cried out in gargled despair as another whip crack sounded off, and the thoughts in Eddy's head ceased all together into one single point of observation _. It has a head, stab it in the head!_ He dropped the deer and pulled out the scissors _._ With a second wind of focus, he ran up to the husk and with an expression befitting a monk grabbed the girl by the hair, pulled the head back to make it look up, and jammed the scissors into the husk's right eye. A hiss and white ash flew out of the wound as the "Sayori" howled a guttural roar that rumbled the floorboards.

"What was that?" Sado's head poked out of Sayori's room. "Monika?"

"Get back in here it's not safe!" cried Sayori pulling him by the sleeve.

The rope retreated from the victim's neck as Eddy moved the blade out and started stabbing away at the forehead. Eddy got 5 punctures in until the husk swiped him off with her left. He landed on his feet but he was too dazed to react efficiently. The rope that had left the ailing victim shot out at Eddy with a hiss and black smoke. With a whip crack, the rope collided with his chest sending him back against the door to the guest room. He landed like a brick leaving an indentation on the door.

"Eddy!" Sado yelled coming to help his downed friend. He stopped when he saw the husk's glowing red eye peering around the corner.

 _ ***Hideki?**_

The husk's face was a gaunt facsimile of Sayori's skull. With the charring, and the milky-white smoke bellowing out from Eddy's stabbing it looked like a CD cover from a death metal album. Needless to say Sado and Sayori were not prepared for this at 4:30 am on a Tuesday morning.

 _ ***I'm sorry you have to see me like this. It's not everyday I get to have a nice Literature Club reunion. I almost slept right through it. You look like you haven't aged a day. Wish I could say the same. EHEHEHEHEH~!**_

Sado stood there like a statue his face frozen in terror. With forced breath he tried to speak back to the husk. Manners are still important after all. "M-mmm-m-must b-be good genetics I guess. I-I see you changed your hair." He tried to smile but he could feel a trance coming on. He started shaking to try and fight it. Poor Sayori couldn't even stand. She was quivering on her knees behind Sado facing away from the husk with her face in her hands. She was whispering Buddhist death mantras as she prepared for the end.

 _ ***I know and it's embarrassing. After the house fire, I could never get the ashes to come out. I was just preparing the decorations when I was rudely interrupted.**_

Eddy was coming to. In his blurry vision he saw Monika in the master bedroom holding something reflecting the moonlight in her right. She had a smile on her face, but this was a smile that made the fake plants aside her bed wilt. Her bow was blowing softly on the headboard. The metallic thing stopped reflecting. A Desert Eagle 357 jingled in Monika's palm. She eyed Eddy and cupped her ear with her free hand. Eddy lightly nodded and put his fingers into his ears. The husk turned to this action. The husk flung its head back to the bedroom, the halo glowed with fury. Monika aimed and fired. Sado and Sayori cried out in fear as the husk's forehead exploded in smoke and ink with a subdued bang. The red light faded from the burnt Sayori as she crumbled backwards to the floor in front of Sado. At this the boy gave up his fight and fell to his knees. His vision blanked out. Sayori fell to the floor and covered her head. Monika's face softened as she left the bedroom toward Eddy. Rings appeared around her eyes and tear stains appeared on her cheeks. The crack shot president dropped the handgun and fell to her knees in front of the Ed-boy. The husk had already started dissolving into a fine dust bunny at this point. "Why?!" Monika cried at Eddy. Tears poured out of her as she shook. "I was so close to making everyone happy why did you stop it?!"

"Y-you wanted that thing to kill you?!" Eddy asked wide eyed.

"I- I deserve it," Monika murmured lowering her head. "I have nothing left and I deserve it more than anyone else in this place."

"You didn't do anything," Eddy said softly.

"If you understood, you wouldn't be saying that," Monika sobbed. She felt the boy pull her into a hug. The touch made her lightly gasp but this only led to a deeper pained bawling as her head slumped down into Eddy's chest.

Eddy was out of his element on this one, a few days ago he pegged her as a Venus fly trap in a tight uniform. That was a far cry from the girl in his arms right now. They sat down in the hall. Minutes passed like seconds. He had to say something, he didn't know where the gun was. And all he knew about Monika was that she liked poetry. All he could remember reading was a single poem he randomly picked up back home. With a gulp and a prayer, he chose to use it anyway.

"I don't know what I would say if I did, but that isn't important now," Eddy spoke in a warm tone. "You are no longer picking up gusts of wind. It would be harrowing for anyone to have to go through that."

"W-what?" The brunette's bloodshot eyes peered into Eddy's cobalt. Her despair was written all over her face. Eddy's fear became written on his.

"S-sorry," Eddy panicked. "I quote things sometimes."

"Where did you hear that phrase?" Monika spoke breaking the embrace with a look of desperation. The atmosphere was changing. "Please, it's really important to me."

"You will think I'm insane if I told you the truth," Eddy pleaded.

 _A shower of gray dust hovered over Sado._

"Eddy, I won't ever think you're insane," Monika was nearly broken. She placed her trembling hands on Eddy's shoulders. "Please tell me where you read that phrase! Please! It's all I have left!"

 _The gray thing started forming together._

"I- found it on a sheet of paper in my closet back in Peach Creek," Eddy recalled looking to the floor. "I- pulled it out of a hole in a wall."

The girl could not of pounced on the kid any faster. Eddy yelped in surprise as her warm soft lips met his own.

 _The gray thing finished materializing on Sado's chest and pulsed a blue hue._

 _PERlbnNraT4gZGV0ZWN0ZWQgaW4gc3lzdGVtDQpTeXN0ZW0gb3ZlcnRpbWUgc2VxdWVuY2UgZW5kZWQgYnkgc3lzdGVtDQpzeXN0ZW0ucm9sbGJhY2soTEFTVF9TQ1JJUFRfQlJFQUtQT0lOVCkNCnBhbGlzYWRlLmFic3RyYWN0KENPTE9SX1NQQVdOKQ0K_

 **Kokoro Culture Festival** Day 3: Morning

...

" _Ed, you know it's impolite to stare._ "

 _"You got red on you."_

 _"C'mon Lumpy no movie references, it's too early."_

 _"Double d has been attacked by Wolverine Eddy!"_

 _"Ed! P-please leave my sleeves alone!"_

 _"Jeez Louise those are deep. You good Double d?"_

 _"I-I-I can explain,"_

 _..._

The beginning melody of "It's not unusual" by Tom Jones roused Eddy from his sleep. The alarm clock flashed as the song played. Eddy started singing along as he stretched and tried to crick his neck. He then noticed the moose teddy on his nightstand and a note. And that it was 9:15 in the morning according to the clock.

The note read:

 _You needed your sleep, Nejima will understand. -Monika_

 _PS Thanks for getting me to feel better._

"Ino-hene will understand, yeah they will write that on my grave," Eddy turned the radio off, and with a fold pocketed the note. "C'mon Patches let's put you back." He grabbed the moose and headed out the door. The door to Sayori's room was open so he entered.

"ambient essence that's a good one, sparkle, lucky, no no your going too far off the plan Click," Sado mumbled to himself scratching pen to paper with a slight sweat. "wrath, destiny, flee, papa, poof, dance, quit it Click! this isn't funny!"

"You alright Taco-truck?" Eddy asked watching this battle with a smirk.

"Ah! How long were you listening?" Sado spoke shocked he started sweating. "Don't copy me please. Make your own style.."

"I'm not copying your schizophrenic writings Denski," Eddy spoke a little insulted. He held up the moose. "I was in here to return this and I found you talking like you gone mad."

"I'm not schizophrenic, it's how I write my poems," Sado looked to the floor like a dog that wittled on the carpet. "I find a couple words out of a pile, and try to create sentences out of them."

"I was just pulling your leg yesterday, I didn't know that was your style," Eddy scratched the back of his head. "Kind of feel like a heel now."

"That reminds me, do you have a poem?" Sado asked quietly not really expecting an answer.

Eddy looked at the teen with confusion. "For what?"

"The club is having an open mic for poetry reading during the festival today," Sado explained. "And since you are the newest member now, maybe everyone would like to hear you recite a poem."

"Kind of last minute don't you think?" Eddy asked. "I'm not even on the pamphlets."

"Y-you don't have to write the poems out," Sado tried to reassure a little sweat coming out. "You can get them online, that's what I did." Sado looked down again in embarrassment. "D-don't tell Sayori I did that."

"Judging by what I've seen, she probably already knows," Eddy laughed placing the moose back on the table.. "Well I'll just leave you to it then."

"Haha yea," Sado said worrying as the short first-year closed the door. Sado's aura turned dark. His breathing increased. "Click, if that foreigner impresses Yuri more than me, you will regret it. You understand me." The gray thing didn't vibrate. "We're making the poem again." Sado ripped the paper he was working on. A banner image flashes through his mind. He seethed and went out of the room to get the club banner at his house.

Eddy went down the stairs and saw the shoes at the entrance. Sure enough there lied Ino-hene's black steel toed boots. "I can't get away with anything." Eddy sighed as Sado appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Good Morning Eddy!" Sayori yelled happily from the furthest chair in the living room. The bandages around her neck were removed. It was redder than tomato paste so she ended up wearing a light blue scarf.

"Morning," Eddy greeted with a grin he walked off the stairs and turned as Sado went to put on his uniform shoes. Eddy rose an eyebrow. "What are you doing all the way over there?"

"Ino, that big meanie put me here so I don't hear the conversations on his phone," Sayori pouted crossing her arms. "He think just because he owns the house he can do whatever he wants." She lightened up when she noticed Sado opening the front door. "Oh! Going out Takeshi?"

"I forgot about the banner, so I'm going back to get it so I don't forget when we leave," Sado responded poking his head back in the door.

"Don't take too long, breakfast is almost ready!" Sayori beamed. Sado nodded then left.

Noticing the odd one out, Eddy asked, "Is Monika still here?"

"She went to the club to finish the decorations with Yuri, she left about an hour ago when Ino showed up," Sayori explained adding venom to Ino's name.

"Edi-ou~" Ino-hene's deep voice enunciated Eddy's new RMIN like a winter chill.

Eddy's hair stood on ends. He half expected a double or triple shift out of this tone.

"In here Rookie~" Ino voice sliced into Eddy's soul. Eddy shuffled into the kitchen.

Two things that Eddy could see made him instantly uneasy, one was a silver doggy dish on the floor and the other was what looked like a smoldering ashy golf ball. Ino-hene was twirling the ball in his hands. With a simple flip of his wrist he tossed the ball into the doggy dish. "Breakfast." Ino-hene pointed to the dish with a toothy grin.

"Uh," Eddy was dumbfounded.

"I can't make your instructions any easier, eat it," Ino-hene commanded again his eyes shining with resolution. He scooted the dish closer with his foot.

"I'm not eating something if I don't know what it is," Eddy did not like where this was going.

"It's a jawbreaker," Ino barked like a commercial, his fangs seemed to twinkle in the morning sun.. "Very sweet!"

"Yeah and I'm the new Emperor," Eddy glared at his superior. He regretted telling about his affinity for the candy spheres.

"Ok, ok, it's a Core from a Smoldering Crimson, Abe-san tasked me to find out what it does if it gets ingested, and I figured I might as well have a little symbolic fun. Especially at the expense of naughty doggies that sleep through their job!" Ino-hene's sporadic switch from happy to pissy at the end made Eddy chuckle a little. The dog noticed and allowed comedic waterfalls to fall out of his eyes. "It's not funny! Suki was with me and she did nothing but be Tsun the entire watch!"

"What do I look like? A guinea pig?" Eddy plucked the ball out of the dish and chucked it. Ino yelped and lunged catching the discarded orb.

"Typical, no respect whatsoever," Ino steamed as Eddy whistled looking for silverware.

"Sorry to interrupt but did you say Natsuki was with you?" Sayori asked walking into the kitchen to pull cinnamon rolls out of the oven. "How is she? We haven't heard from her since yesterday morning."

"She's breathing easier knowing you came out of it relatively ok, but she still very distraught about the whole ordeal," Ino-hene sipped his coffee with a plaintive expression. Sayori couldn't help but look down in a bit of shame. The muscular utility worker walked up to the red head, patted her head softly then journeyed off to the cabinets on the other side of the kitchen for plates. "Is the scarf bothering you too much?"

"No, thank you for letting me borrow it," Sayori smiled warmly as the tray of warm morsels was put on the counter to the right of the oven. The front door opened as the plates and utensils were placed on the table.

"I forgot I already took the banner to the club room," Sado said stone-faced as he entered the kitchen.

"Denski! Eat this!" Ino-hene tossed the Core at Sado, he flinched when it bounced off the boy's nose.

"Nice to see you too Asaki-san," Sado greeted a little irritated. "I see you're still doing your research."

"That wasn't really nice Ino," Sayori criticized.

"And you were on me about respect," Eddy added with a laugh.

"That guy's a quack but he is a well off quack," Ino grinned picking up the core. He then ruffled Sado's hair with a grin. "And I'm a sucker for occult mysteries."

"All that occult stuff is all smoke and mirrors," Eddy discredited waving his hands.

Sado couldn't help but smirk deviously. He took his place at the table as Ino started scooping scrambled eggs out of a bowl.

"I believe it's hooey as well, but it is still fun to think about," Ino retorted. "It's dull thinking that the world is only all we can see."

"Thinking like that turns people to pigeons," Eddy grumbled as eggs filled half his plate.

"Pigeons?" Sayori asked innocently. "Sounds very occult to be able to turn people into birds."

"It's a con artist term for a customer that is easily duped into being scammed," Eddy answered. Ino finished dividing the eggs and moved to the bacon and rolls. "Like how people are easily duped by spirit mediums if they believe in ghosts."

Sayori started laughing but stopped herself when Sado stared. "Sorry, I thought of Yuri turning into a purple pigeon and that made me laugh."

"It would be a good party trick not gonna lie," Eddy mused.

"I forgot you used to hustle Edi-ou," Ino replied. Smirking as he finished his rounds. "Anyone need more juice?" Sado raised his hand.

"Scamming is not hustling Old Man," Eddy responded biting into a strip.

"Hustling involves actual skill at something," Sado glared an aura of darkness pulsing from him. Eddy was caught blind-sided and metaphorically ignited into flames. He fell over into his eggs in theatrics.

"Takeshi," Sayori looked at Sado in surprise. "That was really uncalled for."

"Ok full stop," Ino replied giving a timeout symbol with his hands. "You literally murdered Edi-ou for no reason. You have murdered a 14 year old child with that burn. You're only getting half juice."

"I'll let the roots grow where I'm laid-" Eddy mumbled in agony of his sick burn wounds.

"What?" Sayori and Sado asked in unison.

"Obe-ni used to do this all the time when we were younger," Ino said in remembrance. "He would always say parts of his family crest when he pretended to be dead. Nice to see it's still annoying."

"I found a poem I can recite at the club today!" Eddy beamed as the metaphorical soot blew off of his immortal soul. He rose back up and pointed to the ceiling in victory.

"R-really?" Sayori eyes sparkled. "What's it about?"

"I have to find it first but I can give you a hint," Eddy turned around and pointed to his hair partings in the back. "It's why my hair is parted like this."

"It's the McGee family mantra isn't it," Ino eyes sparkled in pride.

"N-n-no spoilers old man!" Eddy yelled angrily.

"Natsuki seems to be rubbing off on you boy," Ino beamed. Sayori giggled as she tore through her bacon. Eddy kind of blushed as he wanted to laugh at the turn of phrase.

 _I think I made another bad decision._ Sado thought with a sweat. _I hope I didn't set myself up._

The bouncy atmosphere continued throughout the rest of the meal.


	9. Day 3: Noon

An hour and a half passed after the end of breakfast and Eddy used that time as a clean up and decompress period at his home. After a wash and soak in the bath he was wearing a yellow unbuttoned button up shirt over a simple black t-shirt. He wore dark jean shorts and his street shoes. After a while Ino told him about what happened at Stormchaser. More importantly the fate that befallen Obe-ni and Kei-On. Eddy wanted to feel something but as it is with the system, this was abstracted out. To remedy this Ino provided a thin black box. Eddy examined a black box in respectful silence as the tape inside hummed its contents in his ears. He played it over and over for 30 minutes. A cool breeze wafted through the silence of Eddy's back porch as the kid was able to peacefully mourn. A click signaled the end of the recording and Eddy sniffed in relief. "Thanks Obe," he looked to the floor with a warm smile as a hand rubbed his shoulder. He was leafing through faded writings and pictures that made up "Fort Peach Creek" on his lap. "He didn't have to do that."

"He wanted to tell you more," Ino-hene had a parental tone. The rustling of his wicker porch chair creaked from his gesture of solidarity. "He hated the system's answer for death and legacy. We all do."

"I hate this place," Eddy said after a few minutes of morning breeze. He wiped his face.

"We can say we made it to the festival though," Ino-hene pulled out a white glass bottle and a tray of two small cups from under the white table between the two. "Not a lot of iterations can say that."

"What's that?" Eddy asked looking at the container.

"Ceremonial sake," Ino beamed. "This is the pure stuff too."

"Under-aged drinking?" Eddy laughed wiping a rouge tear from his eye. "How scandalous."

"It's how we mourn our friends and family in this town," Ino chuckled as he poured the wine into the cups. "The system takes our memories of them but we'll celebrate their lives anyway. Through their voices, their writings, and blatant Alcoholism."

Eddy laughed as Ino returned to his seat. The book was closed at the poem Eddy wanted. They gingerly picked up their cups. Ino lead the Rumor Mill toast.

 **Through dark puddles, we spite our creators**

 **Through the night, we smite our invaders**

 **Until the sun gives us our day**

 **With our fangs we'll never let you go astray**

 **For the lost**

 **For the found**

 **For everyone**

 **That ends up in this town**

 **We are here, now and never**

 **And until our candle melts**

 **We'll stand by you forever**

 **To hell with all else.**

 **To Obe-ni**

 **To Kei-On**

 **To the Lost and Found**

 **May you find peace in your new Town**

The two men drank from their cups. Their defiance to their cage burns like their tongues. Ino's eyes flashed pink as he slammed his cup down and the two utility men howled.

 **Kokoro Culture Festival** Day 3: Noon

"I think I needed to watch the proof on that wine," Ino mused watching Eddy stumble into Sayori's house.

"Hello lovebirds~" Eddy was happy and blushing as he nearly fell in the living room. "I have returned with good readings and good findings!"

"What happened to you?" Sado looked at the boy with a shocked expression. Eddy blew steam out of his nose. And fell to his knees.

"Don't take Papa Ino to jail~" Eddy whined as he bowed to the floor.

"What happened Asaki-san?" Sado glared at the sharp-toothed man.

"Gah!" Ino yelped surprised at Sado's intensity. "It was just a shot of sake. We made a toast to the people we lost at Stormchaser. I didn't know he would take to it as strongly as he did."

"I found the poem I wanted to read," Eddy rose back up. "Is Sayori ready?"

"Almost," Sado answered with a nod. He then held up the smoldering core, "You forgot this on the table."

"I thought I would make it go away and fake my results," Ino admitted embarrassed. "I hate dealing with Color cores. The stories behind them are tragic."

"Sayori," Sado looked at Ino with restrained concern."Wants to test the core."

"W-what?!" Ino roared incredulously spooking Eddy sober. "There are so many reasons that's a bad idea!"

"I know. I tried to talk her out of it," Sado was frightened. "She figured that since you have rollback you can use that if something goes wrong."

"I'm lost here, what's the issue with the core?" Eddy asked siting on his book.

"Let's just say things may get really really bad, really really fast if proper direction is not met," Ino grunted. "And rollback sometimes doesn't work for some folk."

"I-I want to take that chance," Sayori squeaked from atop the stairs. She traded her casual clothes for her school uniform.

"What did I say about eavesdropping?" Ino spoke sternly. "And there's no telling what this thing will do. I don't know if you will share memories with the crimson, or catch on fire, or just go crazy. I can't in good faith see myself subjecting you to that."

"Boss you tried to feed me that thing in a doggie dish," Eddy replied flatly.

"And you threw it at me," Sado added. "Where did all this good faith talk come from?"

"Who's side are you on anyway?!" Ino growled.

"I remember what happened last night," Sayori spoke softly as she walked down the stairs. Everyone shot up to look at the bun."The crimson, the gun shot, Monika wishing to die and breaking down in Eddy's arms, all of it. If the Crimson didn't start talking to Sado we may never have made it to morning. If that monster finished her "decorations", I wouldn't of been able to live with myself. I can't just lay back anymore and watch the people I love suffer, let them die because I'm too scared to fight. And eating that monster may be my way to actually start fighting."

The rest of the group was in stunned silence.

"Please Ino," Sayori eyes shined as she fought back tears. "You guys mean everything to me, and I want to prove that I'm not a burden to you. I can't lose you, I'll have nothing left."

Ino pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes in concentration. He looked like he was fighting emotion as well. After a few minutes of debate he gave a deep breath and gave his reply. "Fine. Fine. After your club's presentation meet up on the roof. I'll get Abe-san and hash it out from there. I'm just going to say, I do not approve of this. And I cannot guarantee your safety during the process." He huffed and finished. "I'm- proud of you for taking the initiative on this, not a lot of people would volunteer for testing something from the Colors. Mostly people just want to sweep the whole mess under the rug. Pretend everything is fine until they come to their door, or ambush them when walking the dog. This research is very important to the town. Thank you."

"Thank you too Papa Ino," Sayori closed her eyes and smiled warmly. "I trust we won't regret this."

"Grab your drinks," Ino commanded putting on Obe's aviator glasses and turning to the door. "We're heading north."

"We're so proud of you too," Sado spoke wiping tears from his eyes.

"That's how you do a speech! Earn your address girl!" Eddy added whistled. Sayori hugged the boys in joyous cooperation.

…

The trip to the Academy was uneventful. Eddy finished his sobering as the ocean breeze from the open windows blew into the truck cabin. Ino decided to go a more scenic route up the eastern coast of Palisade Town. Sayori and Sado held hands in a comfortable silence as they watched the scenery. Ino tapped the wheel of the truck to the beat of smooth jazz on the radio. Eddy watched Sayori nuzzle up to Sado with a peaceful happy expression. Eddy lightly grinned and went back to his book. He tried to drink in a as much history as he could to try and give the McGee Family Mantra a more respectful and knowledgeable edge. _If I was who I was back in Peach Creek I wouldn't of bothered doing this_ , he concluded trying to make peace with his puzzle box. He wondered what changed him as the breeze blew through his hair. He wondered what Ed and Double d were doing. He wondered if Double d ever got help with his-. Eddy didn't dwell on that thought as he rubbed his hands. _Got to remember about privacy after all. Since Sayori has no real problem airing out Monika's dirty laundry._ That got him thinking again about last night. _She has to remember too then. What do I say now? Nothing else came from the box except the memory of that poem in my closet. I don't know where it came from. Or even if I still have it. She may need me to remember more. H-her life may depend on it. No! Don't dwell on that! It will work out. I'm remembering things easier now. I need to stop overthinking this, all I'm doing is getting myself worked up. It will come back, it all will come back. I just need to relax and enjoy this moment. Obe would of wanted that._ He tried to slow breathe and eventually he was able to return to his calm moment in the truck. The ocean gave way to shops and alleys as the truck entered the town proper. 15 minutes late the truck entered the parking garage on the other side of the street to the Academy gates.

When the group entered through the gates, Eddy realized that he was the only student who dressed casual. Aside from islands of unique clothes the festival was awash in a neutral gray and purple sea. Even Eddy's preconceived notions of hair color failed as everyone either had an odd hair color, or an odd style. They may as well not have faces. Almost to the second that Eddy, Sayori, and Sado entered the school. Communication broke down and soon Eddy was removed and left wandering. _OK I'll get a cellphone! Just get me out of here!_ Eddy roared to himself as he bumped into his third person in 10 minutes. Eddy was getting too overwhelmed in Japanese culture at the culture festival. He could feel something in the back of his head looking at all these new people. A familiar and seductive urge. A scammer's clean slate kind of urge. He ended up in front of a classroom of people having a skit of some kind when another bump sent him back on his rump and the urge scrambled his brain. His palms started to itch and he started to sweat. _So many opportunities and we're wasting it on the stupid club!_ The old demons hissed as they crawled out the recesses of his mind.

"Does no one walk in a straight line in this place?!" Eddy roared as his head broke into a dull throb. The figure he ran into extended a hand.

"Sorry about that, here let me help you up," The man spoke with a soft tone. He was a part of the gray void but he had short bright-red hair and green eyes.

Eddy sighed with relief. "Finally someone who speaks English." He grabs the teens hand and turns it to a handshake combination. Eddy was proud he was able to pull that off in the condition he's in. "You wouldn't happen to know where the Literature Club is would ya?"

"W-who's asking?" The man spoke again.

"Me," Eddy said simply. He needed to cut to the chase and leave this crowd. The man looked like he was looking through Eddy like glass. _OK can't stay here longer._ "Just playing with ya, Name's Eddy. I'm new in town, and I'm trying to find this club I joined."

The man's eyes softened and a light smile grew on his face. "Shin Yamichika, I'm the president of the Debate Club. It's nice to have fresh faces around here."

 _That's sounds familiar._ "So I've been told." Eddy said releasing Shin's hand.

Shin lowered his head in thought. "I think they hold their meetings in Building 2, try level 3 at the end of the hall, if it isn't there, head back here and find me." A swarm of gray was descending off the stairs. Bodies forming into the birds that he saw them as. No identity or uniqueness just gray birds with bags and wallets tied to their feet.

Eddy panicked. "Shin, you are my go-to guy now. Thanks!" Then with a turn and a push Eddy escaped into the aviary hoard. The urge was all around him now. The gray mob of new pigeons cooed around him like an all you can eat buffet. Eddy tried to push past them all but they were dancing, he could hear the money now. _Rattling like the chance of a new life draining through his fingers._

He ran through the doors to the outside. He was breathing heavily now as his skin crawled. Birds were waiting for him. "I will not go down that road again!" He yelled startling a few avian money hoarders. _You will and you will take the stone and bun with you! Your new trifecta!_ "No not them, they are too innocent for that!" Eddy's eyes clinched his tears back as he tried to escape the allure of the chance of monetary gain as he stumbled into bird after bird just trying to get to the club. _One scam is all we need and we would be rich enough to own these people._ He thought clenching his fists as the urge filled his brain with Faustian deals After a while he made it into building 2 but he was already riled up.

" _Quit teasing yourself_!" the demons laughed in their cells. " _You want to get all the best things in life don't ya?"_ " _The club won't respect a commoner utility clerk_! _What kind of life would that be for her?!"_

Visions of last night's kiss rotated in Eddy's head as a terrible ploy. The greed gives no quarter to the reformed. It will use everything to entice a relapse.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" He made it to an empty stairway as his vision frayed.

 _JUST US AGAINST THE WORLD BABY BROTHER!_ The head of the hoard finally spoke as the urges trembled like thunder. The wind of it's power howled as Eddy raced up the stairs. _JUST LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS EH PIPSQUEAK?_

 **CAW!**

Eddy didn't notice a crow pecking at its wings in the stairway. It was too hidden from view. The bird cawed in surprise and Eddy jumped back. He lost his footing and fell backwards. His head met the stairs personally. He thought he was bleeding when he saw the bird fly down to him and land on his chest. The purple bird was eyeing him in bewilderment as it cawed. Its wings had huge gashes in them from the pecking. Blood was seeping into the plumage.

"C-coin," Eddy pleaded weakly as tears filled his eyes. The pain in the back of his head drowned out the urges. The bird backed away and cawed in a confused voice. "T-tape a coin to my head please."

Eddy's vision blurred as the bird looked around in confusion. He and It were shaking like leaves. The bird looked like it was about to cry watching the child break down in front of it. "I won't tell a soul about your wings dear Crow." Eddy reassured as his fear of relapse increased his sobbing. The bird looked at Eddy in a deeply guilty expression. "I just can't go down that road again, I made too much progress. I want to be a good person. Please." The bird quickly ruffled its feathers to hide its wounds and flew back up the stairs to a bag on the floor. It used its wings to poke into the bag. Pulling out a 100 yen coin and with a slight fidget in the bag the bird came up with no tape. Movement of the wings against the fabric of the bag caused the bird to wince. Eddy was fading fast. "just hold it on with your beak." The bird looked more lost than ever now. It even had a strange blush. It cawed as it placed the coin on Eddy's head with its wing. Eddy heard the crow's calls start to morph into a crying woman's voice as Eddy's head fell back to the stair point. The feathers of the crow fading into a sea of indigo as his demons tried to fight to the coin. Ripping themselves apart in the attempt. His eyes met the crow's as a whimper of gratitude escaped him. He falls unconscious to fevered pleas. The box rumbled shut in Eddy's skull. A laugh from his brother echoed through the chamber like a snake's hiss.


	10. Day 3: Alternate Perspective

**Kokoro Culture Festival : Alternate Perspective**

Boy 1 - "What is this about Eri?"

The hallway of building 3 swarms with the crowd as the anime club begins their dance routine in their club room. Eri tried to tell me before where it was from but the music was too loud to decipher. Her and I bump into each other in the swirling crowd.

Boy 1 - "And will you stop wearing those stupid swirly glasses, you bumped into me 4 times now."

She pulls them off revealing rings under her eyes. I feel very sorry for her. She looks embarrassed.

Watanabi - "My apologies Shin, I'm trying to get used to these things. This skit requires I master them."

Shin - "Didn't expect you to lose sleep over this festival."

I feel bad for acting like this now. She's obviously under a lot of stress lately. She is VP of one of the most prominent anime clubs in the region. And that is on top of her involvement in the VP rumor mill.

W - "Ahaha, no these are from binge watching."

Why am I not surprised?

W - "We had enough practice we can do Happy Party Train in our sleep if we needed."

Her pride showed a little too much for my tastes. She seems too scatterbrained to answer my question.

S - "That's good to hear. You still need to tell me why you brought me here."

She seemed troubled as she pulled out her real glasses from her breast pocket and put them on. She switched to her inspection voice.

W - "I found a strange RMIN the other day. I tried to look it up but nothing appeared. No writings, no recordings, not even a name or address."

I start to sweat a little in the gaggle of students as she continues. Could this be it? She pulls out a sheet of paper.

W - "Normally this is if the person wanted to keep their information private, that is understandable. But look at the induction and creation dates."

S - "Dates?"

I look at the sheet. It's a printout of the RM lookup page for the name in question. I read the induction date box under Address:

 **3450 years ago**

Panicked I switched over to the date of creation box:

 **8 days ago**

Watanabi fidgeted, her soft black hair swaying back in forth. I take a long while to just soak it in. These numbers make this RMIN older than even the town. This means that if my math still adds up, we have been running this same week for 1000s of years. And whoever this RMIN belongs to has a hand in this. I want to collapse in on myself. This is the chance we have been waiting for. A lead to the Cicada President!

W - "You have the full support of the council and the Rasputin Rumor Mill. They'll let you know more if anything turns up."

I can barely speak. My hands crumple the paper in impotent anger. So much needless death and destruction. So much stories that will never be recorded for loved ones. Everything wrong with this town in one name. I start to shake as Eri holds me against her.

S - "I-I thought I was chasing ghosts for so long."

W - "We finally have it Shin, we just need to find out more. We will get what's owed to us then."

S - "Thank you, thank you so much."

I almost want to propose to Eri right here. But there is no guaranteed we will live tomorrow, let alone to any sort of ceremony. I'm pulled from my reverie as the dance finishes to a round of applause from the congregation of Otaku that flood the room in front of us.

W - "We made it to the festival Shin."

Her smile is always a welcome sight in a town like this. Her VP duties had to start again. I never want to let go.

W - "I have to play my part now."

S - "You'll do great. You had years of practice."

She giggled a mirthful laugh. We looked into each others eyes.

W - "I love you Shin."

S - "I love you too Eri, Always."

We kiss then she goes into the club room to take part in the next skit. I straighten out the readout again and look at the RMIN at the top. I close my eyes and try to control my emotions. I must not of payed too much attention in doing this as I felt someone bump into me again. This time a short black-haired first-year in a yellow button down shirt. He must have been light weight since he was down on the ground from a slight run-in. He looked jittery and unkempt. Like he needed air. He had what looked like a decrepit tome in his hands.

Short Teen - "Does no one walk in a straight line in this place?!"

Judging by his temper this may have been a common occurrence today. I know that feeling little man. Culture festivals are the devil if you want to be anywhere.

S - "Sorry about that, here let me help you up."

I give my hand to help the guy up. He gives a sigh of relief and grabs it. When he gets up he started shaking it with a grin. His hand is cold and clammy.

ST - "Finally someone who speaks English. You wouldn't happen to know where the Literature Club is would ya?"

He certainly trims the fat off of formality that's for sure. I try to be subtle.

S - "W-who's asking?"

ST - "Me."

He pointed to himself grin unfettered. Ok that got nowhere. He's still shaking my hand.

ST - "Just playing with ya, Name's Eddy I'm new in town and I'm trying to find this club I joined."

S - "Shin Yamichika, I'm the president of the Debate Club. It's nice to have fresh faces around here."

E - "So I've been told."

He finally releases my hand.

S - "I think they hold their meetings in building 2, try level 3 at the end of the hall, if it isn't there head back here and find me."

E - "Shin, you are my go-to guy now. Thanks!"

What does that mean? Before I could ask he disappears into the crowd. Must of been in a hurry. Strange duck, but he seems harmless. I look back into the club room and flinch as I watch Eri fall down in a heap to the sound of rambunctious laughter. I can't tell if that was part of the skit or her stupid swirly glasses. I can't help but laugh a little though.

She looks so adorable when she's flustered.

She deserves more happy days like this. No peering over our shoulders for the Colors. No waking up to open white fields of blank glitchy nothing for days at a time. Hoping to gods and monsters we have enough food and water to make it to the end of the week. No more forgetting our loved ones when they die only to then have to listen to their last parting words that they have to make when the system removes their address. Reopening wounds by doing so days, even months later. All the while this name sits in a hole and plays little games with toys they have no god-damn right to use.

She deserves better.

We all deserve better.

I switch gears back to the paper in my hand. I re-read the RMIN again and again hoping to burn it into my retinas. MON-IKA

 _I figured as much. We were hunting white whales and ghosts for so long, when we should have been looking for giant squid. This doesn't matter now. We will get what we're owed soon. Our special day will come in the Cicada's blood! For the File-less! Death to the Cicada President! TO HELL WITH ALL ELSE!_

-PERSPECTIVE ENDED-


	11. Day 3: Evening

Abe-san (RMIN Record Transcript): Yuri we don't have a lot of time, so I'll make this short. I'm missing a crimson core. I believe Miss President has it in her possession. I believe there is foul play at work in this exchange. Try to talk her out of using it. Tell her that anything she is going through we will keep it quiet. Tell her we can get her help if need be. And if she does use the core, keep her away from anything that can hurt her if the crimson dies. I don't need to remind you what happens after 12 hours.

 **Coins and Crows**

 **Keep the coin, goodness flows  
** **Drop the coin, a demon grows  
** **Where'd it go, does anyone know?  
** **I took it myself, said the Crow**

 **Hold the coin atop your temple  
** **Pigeons circle, led by example  
** **Crows will hide in this circle  
** **And turn your hide red and purple**

 **A simple thwack and a peck  
** **Is all they need to cause a wreck  
** **They take coins easily, it's a cinch  
** **You'll drop the coin if you flinch**

 **Keep the coin half an hour  
** **And your luck will not sour  
** **With this luck you will have power  
** **And the heart of your wallflower**

 **Kokoro Culture Festival** Day 3: Evening

"Well he's not going to die, you can stop the dramatics about that," An elderly gentleman in an indigo yukata with blue flower print inspected the immigrants head with his bony fingers. The boy started fidgeting angrily in his sleep to the touching of his face. "And he seems to be responding well to touch and sound."

"Don't touch my face!" The boy yelled his eyes shooting open. The old man recoiled his hand in reaction. "And if you are going to, warm your hands first Old Man! It felt like I was being probed by a corpse!"

"Well this was a pointless exercise. I was just about to teach our audience about the Glasgow Coma Scale," The old man cackled holding out his hand to the door. His voice was light and feathery. His necklace of pale glass beads jingled as he grabbed his left side and rose from Eddy's resting position. The man's rose tinted sunglasses gleamed from the light as he started walking out the door. From the sliding door behind them Eddy could see that the man had pale skin and a long pointy face partially obscured by shoulder-length black hair. He walked out the door giving hitched breathing as he went. Two shadows parted in the door to let the paper thin man through. "Ladies, his soul belongs to you now." the man waved, turned down the hallway, and left Eddy to his fate.

Like a a starting bell was rung, Eddy was immediately assaulted on both sides into a hug by a red bowed attacker and a pink menace.

"Eddy you finally made it!" Sayori yelled relieved at the turn of events as she hugged Eddy's right. She turned to the door. "Thanks Abe-san!"

"Nice to have you back in the world of the living Rookie," added a short girl with pink hair, pink eyes and a smile showing a small fang superceding the rest of her teeth on the left side of her mouth. She was hugging Eddy's left but retreated a few seconds later. "Not that I was concerned about you or anything!" _The walls are up at Fort Nejima._ Eddy thought.

Eddy eyed the retreat and tried a quote from his "homework".He grinned and saluted. "Sorry I didn't get bells, so I got my bell rung instead. Hope that's enough." A few moments passed and a small giggle slipped out of the Tsundere fortress that is Eddy's impromptu superior officer.

"I heard that," Sayori spied with a mischievous grin as she let the first year free. "Is Natsuki letting something be known?"

"J-just a cough," Natsuki relented a small blush appearing on her cheeks. "It's allergy season you know." She started to shake. A button is being pressed on its own. Her eyes started to water as she looked away.

"Boss, I'm- sorry about missing work today," Eddy spoke guiltily scratching the back of his head. He was afraid she wasn't going to believe him if he told the truth. "I will make it up to you."

Natsuki crossed her arms and looked to the ground. She was trying to stifle something. "D-don't worry about that Rookie," She breathed deeply and looked at Eddy with a sorrowful expression. "I'm- i'm not angry at you."

"Natsuki," Sayori reflexively touched her scarf as she felt a pang of sympathy watching the girl fight her tears.

"I'm going to get the holders," Natsuki forced out before she ran out of the classroom.

"Natsuki wai- Oh!" Sayori rose from her spot accidentally bumping into someone behind her. "Sorry Yuri, I didn't see you there."

"N-no it was my fault," A soft hesitant voice emanated from over Sayori's shoulder. Eddy looked to the source and found a tall girl with waist length purple hair and purple eyes kneeling nearby. She was needling a strand of her hair with her hands. "I-i got- caught up in the moment."

"Eddy, this is Yuri Matsumoto. She's the smartest member of our club," Sayori introduced as she moved out of the way. "Yuri, this is Eddy McGee. He's the new member I was talking about."

"Nice to meet you," Eddy and Yuri spoke simultaneously. Eddy rose to a sitting position. He and Yuri gave a small bow to each other. _Double d did say people in Japan like it when you bow when introducing yourself. Maybe it works when someone else is introducing you too._

"I'm going to tend to Natsuki," Sayori walked near the door. "If you guys need anything don't be afraid to call all right?" With nods of confirmation Sayori went into the hallway and closed the door behind her.

A deep rooted nervousness filled the two as they shyed from the gaze of each other. Eddy broke out in a cold sweat as he felt the yen coin on his forehead. It was bound in a square bandage. He didn't want to stare at Yuri's arms for too long but he could make out a few blue gauze bandages under her uniform sleeves. From her face alone he could tell she wanted to disappear as well. _Dammit why did that happen at a time like this? She probably thinks I'm a nutbar now. Th-that may be true for all I know, but I caught her at a bad time. I have to salvage this situation._

"How- long have you been- trying to become a good person?" Eddy was pulled out of his thoughts when the girl spoke. Her voice was elegant and flowed like a finely tuned instrument.

Eddy panicked and looked down into his hands. "I'm sorry for calling you a crow. I-I wasn't myself. I'm in Ref-. I mean I got crazy. I-"

"I know- you were a s-scammer," Yuri's voice wasn't accusatory but rather just a soft observation. Eddy looked up in surprise. She glanced away anxiously. Then with a look of resolve she sighed, and rolled up a sleeve a little bit for emphasis. "I'm in- Reformation too, and when you caught me I s-saw you as a crow as well."

"Wait, a-all that was supposed to happen? The pigeons, the urges, the demons, all that was Reformation?" Eddy's breathing became labored. "I-I thought I was going mad."

"It varies from person to person," Yuri turned crestfallen as she watched the kid start to crumble. She placed a closed hand to her chest. "I'm at my 6th month and the urge for the hunt is as strong as ever."

 _I guess the "pecking" was urge management then._ Eddy breathed out a pained sigh and placed his head in his hands. "I'm only in my 2nd week. If this is what is going to happen-"

"Ah! I'm sorry I- didn't mean to d-discourage you," Yuri stammered trying to console. Eddy could smell a sweet flowery aroma off of her as she moved closer to him. "I just- wanted to tell you that you were not alone in your endeavors. Reformation is an arduous process and it's- always hard to manage urges and the mania when you first start. I'm just glad you didn't have to resort to-." She looked down at her arms. "d-drastic measures like I did. J-just take a couple deep breaths. The oils in the air will help you relax."

Eddy glanced to the windows and found them covered in dark construction paper. A glossy banner flew proudly over the back wall of the classroom. The dampened light of the classroom was a haven compared to the hell Eddy's mind forced him through. It didn't hurt that the girl was very easy on the eyes. "I wasn't expecting someone so understanding about the Con arts. Did you- work in the field long?" Eddy asked as he started calming down after a few minutes.

"My parents run a curio shop near the Eastern Strand, I probably don't need to tell you the connotation a curiosity shop entails," Yuri's had a small smile. Eddy couldn't help but feel her interest in camaraderie based on her tone. "Plus I had my side projects of course. Mostly small cash grabs, and seasonal ventures."

 _A family business. That makes a lot of sense._ Eddy thought as his eyes twinkled. _Eastern Strand is one of the best beaches in the region as well, at least going on what I saw coming over here. Great location for mystery guided tourists._

"What made you want to reform?" Eddy asked as he started to become more himself again in the sweetened air of the classroom. "You wanted to go legitimate?"

"It would be a fallacy if I said that was true at first," Yuri explained as it looked like the gears were rapidly spinning in her head. "Truth be told, I only started Reformation because Abe-san asked me too. Once I started I ended up joining the club and with the club I was able to pursue my other hobbies and that made Reformation easier to manage for me. What made you want to undergo the process?"

"I was trying to achieve something and I felt that if I became a scammer I would have been able to allocate enough funds to do that," Eddy spoke as truthfully his memory would allow. "But now I can't even remember what I wanted to accomplish, and I had too much trouble in the past it wasn't worth continuing. And this was all before moving here."

"Well if you need anyone to talk to, you are always welcome at the shop. And Abe-san is an expert on Reformation as well. He lives in a shack near the beach. I can give you directions if you want," Yuri smiled warmly. It melted the anxiety in the kid's heart.

"I don't want to impose," Eddy replied feeling a little guilty. "You're already dealing with your own problems. I don't want to make you feel like you have to be responsible for mine as well."

"M-mcGee-san please, it would be uncouth of me to let you suffer through Reformation alone," Yuri smiled didn't waver. A ringing in a bag at Yuri's right caught the both of them off guard. The lady scammer leafed through the bag and pulled out a phone. There was a bit of hesitation before she offered her next response. "I can- also give you- m-my number, d-don't be afraid to call if you need me."

 _Damn I still need to get a phone._ Eddy kicked himself mentally. "My phone is in a box somewhere at my house, can I write it down?"

"Of course. That was Natsuki, the group needs help with the doors," Yuri said standing up. She paused then turned to Eddy with a look of worry. "Y-you wouldn't happen to know where Monika is would you?"

"No why?" Eddy rose and followed the upperclassman to the door.

"S-she hasn't showed up yet, and I'm getting a little concerned," Yuri pondered. "She's been acting strange lately."

 _Strange is one word for it._ Eddy looked down then shook his head. "Sayori said she went to help you with decorations this morning. That's the last I heard," He replied.

"N-natsuki and I did the decorations yesterday, Monika wasn't here then either," Yuri recalled as she lightly shook the chills in her spine. "I really need to talk to her about something in private. I was wondering if something happened."

 _Sayori didn't say anything?_ Eddy thought as sweat appeared. "Let's get going. She's probably with the group," Eddy resolved.

Yuri gave a light nod and the two wandered out of the club room into the hallway. Eddy had to resort to looking at Yuri's hidden gauze as they walked through the gray crowd out to the courtyard.

"Yuri! Rookie!" Natsuki yelled out over the conversations happening in the yard. "Mind helping us with the doors?" The two teens looked and saw the rest of the club with clear plastic boxes with handles on top. One of them was strapped to Sado's head like a hat. Yuri covered her mouth and turned away stifling a laugh. Eddy had no intention of stifling anything.

"Great fashion statement Denski!" Eddy laughed.

"Shut up," Sado fumed. His face was blushed in embarrassment.

"That's what happens when you pull the short straw in the club Rookie," Natsuki teased. "Hope you're taking notes."

"Always give Sado the short straw," Eddy parroted then gave a thumbs up. "You got it Boss!"

"Asaki-san set me up and you were in on it," Sado pouted at the baker who in turn gave him a mischievous smile. He then spotted Sayori nudge her nose against her box. "And it's going to tip if you keep doing that, you big dummy!"

"I can't help it," Sayori whined then started to drool as she rubbed her cheek against her box. Inside laid white-cake cups iced in buttercream that matched in color to the banner. "Natsuki really outdid herself on these, I can smell the frosting right through the case~"

"You did say you wanted to work on your posture Takeshi," Monika chirped happily as the gang entered the building. Eddy felt a slip of paper enter his hand as Yuri walked by after them. He pocketed it then followed with a smirk.

"When I said that, I didn't expect to look like an idiot when I do it," Sado grumbled.

"Think of it as Ino's way of helping you become a better person Sado-kun," Natsuki replied as the group reached floor 2.

"How do you figure that?"

"Level-headiness is important." Natsuki made a cheeky smirk.

"You and Eddy need to stop working together so much," Sado fumed as the group giggled. They reached the club room and unloaded their cargo.

"Rocks?!" Sado roared kicking the box that was on his head. Instead of cupcakes, the box was filled with cupcake shaped stones with goofy faces drawn on them. Eddy fell onto his back in laughter. "That dog is going down!"

"Ok ok in my defense," Natsuki nearly lost it as well. "I didn't know he did that either."

"This practical joke war is getting too elaborate," Yuri commented as she went into the walk-in closet in the back of the room. "Maybe it's time to start peace talks."

"I'm going to have to agree on that Takeshi," Sayori added a little worried about Sado's commitment to his campaign. "You know he's just doing it knowing you will react like this."

"Does Ino even sleep?" Eddy asked as he fiddled with one of the rocks and a discarded cup wrapper. He gave out a little sweat when the rock was a perfect fit for the wrapper. He then noticed Monika staring wide eyed at a spot near the front of the room. She started trembling.

"Y-yuri, Abe-san is still in here," Monika stammered as everyone looked at where she was looking. "He's doing that pose again."

The old man was whispering nonsense to himself as he laid in the middle of one of the aisles. His head was propped against one of the desk chairs and his arms were sprawled out in 45 degree angles out from his center. The angle of his head made his sunglasses shine in the muted sunlight. He had a vacant expression on his face.

"I keep forgetting how creepy that looks," Natsuki shivered as Yuri reappeared with a traditional japanese tea set.

"That has got to be a reference I want no part of," Eddy spoke as fear tried griping his tongue. Monika looked at him but kept her tongue.

Yuri looked at the man and sighed in disappointment. "Sayori, there are salts in my bag can you get them please?"

"Ww-w-w-with pleasure," Sayori didn't hesitate as she searched Yuri's bag. With some fidgeting she procured a familiar orange envelope. "Can you do it? I'm afraid he's going to jump at me."

"He's not going to scare anyone, he's too deep in his meditation to do that," Yuri consoled her VP as she went to her place in the room and placed the set on the desk. "Besides he said before that jump scares were beneath him."

"I don't need the salts dear," spoke the laying man. Abe-san smiled and turned to the club. Everyone except Yuri were on pins and needles as they watched the man rise to his feet. "I just wanted to tell Onzai-san that if she wants to test the smoldering crimson core, we have to do it at the airstrip. There is too much prying eyes here to do it on the roof."

"Airstrip?" Sayori asked. "I didn't know this town has plane travel."

"The town council in their infinite wisdom destroyed it years ago. What a waste," the man grumbled and started counting fingers. "You need loose fitting clothes, 3 more people, and when you get to the place you need to remove the rest of your bandages. Doggie will handle the rest."

"Why 3 more people?" Sado stammered finally having the courage to speak.

"We need to prove that the testing we're conducting follows the rules," Abe-san started walking toward the group. Monika tensed up as the man's glasses reflected near purple light at the group. "Besides it's good emotional support to have three people the test subject trusts with them. Isn't that right Miss President?"

"R-right," Monika forced a smile and a laugh. She spoke like she was being interrogated. Abe-san smirked then turned to Natsuki.

"You are feeding the bird tomorrow," Abe-san could feel the groan coming from the scout.

"Can't you get someone else to do it?" Natsuki whined crossing her arms.

"The schedule is already in the toilet. It's completely out of my hands," The researcher pushed up his lenses. "C'mon it will get you out of the house earlier."

Sado glanced at Eddy with a raised eyebrow. Eddy just shrugged.

Natsuki shuddered, "Alright but if it does that gullet thing I'm leaving immediately."

"Gullet thing?" Sayori asked.

"Less we say about it the better," Eddy shook his head. "I hate birds."

"And with that mental image I must get going," Abe-san started for the door. "Ruffians have been sighted near the testing site lately, so I must check it out. Have fun with your poetry~"

Abe-san left and the club went about the rest of their preparations. 10 minutes passed and the tea was brewed, the pamphlets were distributed and the sides of the holders were collapsed showing the cupcakes in a tray tree formation. Sayori took the first one as soon as the gate released. She nearly gagged about half way into the confection she was eating it so fast. Sado noticed and gave her a cup of tea.

"That is the beginning of the gullet thing," Eddy pointed out with a grin as Natsuki looked away.

"Shut up Rookie," Natsuki mumbled pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Don't mind me asking, but why do you call each other by those nicknames only?" Sado asked the two scouts. They looked at each other and Eddy gave "Boss" the floor.

"It's from a manga, After You! Izumi-San! It's a comedy about two bumbling detectives solving crimes in their small fishing town. The titular character is never given a first name so everyone just calls her Boss Izumi and she plays the straight man to her partner, Rookie Otaka who is quite simply the worst detective ever. The structure of every chapter is that a crime happens, Rookie makes things worse by jumping the gun, then both of them have to fix the screw up which somehow leads them to actually solving the case. It's a good series to kill an afternoon." Natsuki grinned as she finished her spiel. "It was the first one Rookie and I read when he became coherent."

"Artwork is good too," Eddy added. "Made by the same guy that made Iron-house."

Sado perked up from his tea. "I like Iron-house. The anime series wasn't much to be desired. But the OVA is easily my favorite from that year."

"That's what happens when you have a budget of 600 yen and shoe strings," Eddy mused. "We were lucky we had the episodes we got."

"Hey! That's your third one Bun!" Natsuki sounded the alarm at Sayori who was cheekily pilfering another cake from the tray. "Do it again and I will start frosting the stones and putting them in the pile!" A giggle in defiance was made by the perpetrator as she took her spot next to Sado.

"Am I the only one that's concerned that no one came in yet?" Monika asked wiping icing off her face with a napkin.

"No, I noticed it too," Yuri nodded. "I hope this isn't an omen."

"I don't think so, it's only been 10 minutes," Sado said as he finally bit into his cake.

"That's a lot of time Denski," Eddy replied. He then sipped his tea and was pleasantly shocked. "This tea is great." Everyone agreed to this. _I'm not kidding either, I usually hate tea._

"Thank you," Yuri lightly smiled. "It's a blend of leaves I stumbled upon while browsing in the Veil Market."

"Isn't that place dangerous?" Sayori piped up with a little worry. "I've heard rumors that Violets like to congregate there."

"I usually go during the day and there is always security present," Yuri defended. "It may be different at night though."

"Knowing my luck, I probably have to work guard detail during that," Natsuki pouted. She went into the closet to find something to read from her stash of books. "Hey Sado, where are you at in Parfait?"

"I'm still in the Entrance Trials Arc, Minty vs. Hasakabe makes me feel nostalgic," Sado smiled.

"I'm guessing it's the bazaar that happens during the weekend." Eddy asked, interest marked his voice. "The one with the purple flags?"

"That's right." The tea maker nibbled on her cupcake. "Are you interested in going?"

"I have no plans on Saturday, and my friends back in the States did say I need to immerse myself in more culture," Eddy contemplated. "And with the name as cool as Veil Market, I have to know what I can find there."

Monika looked at the clock. It was 4:25. 20 minutes have passed and not so much a peep came from outside the classroom. She rose from her seating position and went to the door. She looked out and was met with an empty hallway. Suddenly she felt kind of faint as a familiar prickling cold shot through her limbs. With a slight panic she looked back to Sado, the grey thing was present. She turned back wide eyed as a sound filled her head in a sharp staccato.

A whip crack.

She gripped the side of the door in a panic. She felt a constriction around her neck as her breathing became labored. A small whisper filled her head as her vision darkened. She tried to ignore it but the sound of rain and a loud pattern-less screeching had already overridden the rest of her hearing.

 _ **DENIAL**_

 _No one is coming.  
_ _No one ever does.  
_ _No one ever will.  
_ _No one will come  
_ _No one will leave_

 _You know this but yet you have a solution._

 _ **Just remove your friends.  
**_ ** _After what they been through.  
_** ** _Find the one who you did it for.  
_** _ **Be surprised when they remove you too.**_

 **V0FSTklORzogQVVUT01BVEVEIEVWRU5UIENSSU1TT04gQUNUSVZBVEVEIEFMTCBTQ1JJUFRTIE5VTExJRklFRCBVTlRJTCBFVkVOVCBDT01QTEVUSU9OCkNSSU1TT04gPSBuZXcgQ1JJTVNPTihDYXRhbG9nW0hvdXNlX2NhbGxdKQpDUklNU09OOiBOT1cgRVZFUllPTkUgQ0FOIEJFIEhBUFBZIQpDUklNU09OLnJ1bihzYXlvbmFyYS5leGUsIE1vbmlrYS5jaHIscmVtb3ZlPUZBTFNFKTs=**

"Monika?" Sayori's voice was soft as she neared her president. "Are you Ok?" A burn mark started to appear on Monika's neck. Sayori eyes started to water as the smell of burning wood returned in full force. The burn grew darker creating a sickly black ring. The atmosphere is shifting.

 _Oh no,_ Eddy thought as a familiar fear rose in his gut. _Not again._

"W-what's happening?" Monika asked softly. She tried to walk back into the room she made it about 2 aisles in when she doubled over in searing pain.

"Monika," Natsuki stammered in anger. "What did you do?"

"I-i don't know! Th-this never happened before!" Monika cried out as she placed her hands against her neck. With another cry she fell to her knees. "It hurts!"

"Monika!" Sayori ran over to her ailing president.

"Sayori stay back!" Natsuki yelled. The command fell on deaf ears as the president's left eye flashed bright red and a cloud of black soot blasted out from her being. The force caused the nearby desks to go flying. One of them banged Sado in the head and the force caused him to topple backwards into the waiting arms of the cupcake holders and the window sill. The back of his head careened off the sill and he flopped down like a ragdoll.

"S-sado-kun!" Yuri cried out as she ran to aid the boy. He was out cold.

Sayori was pushed back by this force but because of her positioning she was pressed against the wall to the left of the door. The wind was knocked out of her but she was still able to stand. Natsuki and Eddy were pushed against the cupboards along the back wall. Natsuki was back on her feet in no time.

Eddy however had a whole new set of problems as he wavered trying to get up. His head felt like it was on fire as the box in his mind started spitting out intangible images.

 _-Welcome to my closet of dreams heheh-_

 _-static-_

 _-HE'S NOT MOVING EDDY!-_

 _-static-_

 _-oisy neighbor? An angry boyfriend? I'll never know. I wasn't home-_

 _-static-_

 _-quit playing with my wall hole!-_

 _-static-_

 _-when you stub your toe, and it hurts you know, friends are there to help you-_

 _-static-_

 _-don't go please! You don't have to do this alone!-_

 _-static-_

 _-You deserve more than this Sarah-_

 _A song with whistling appeared in the noise._

 _The box did not like that Eddy could hear it._

"Rookie quit playing around we need to get help," Natsuki barked angrily as she pulled on Eddy's collar. She stopped shouting when she noticed fine trickles of blood dripping out of Eddy's nostrils.

"Mr. Hero isn't going anywhere," A sinister voice came out of Monika. It sounded like her voice and a sound of a turntable playing a scratched vinyl was spliced together and forced out of her throat.

Natsuki wanted to react but she was quickly silenced by Eddy yelling in agony as deep red gashes started ripping apart the skin on his legs and arms. blood quickly started seeping out. Sayori covered her mouth in horror.

"Rookie!" Natsuki yelled out as Eddy fell forward onto his face. Eddy tried to move but was stopped. "Don't force it! Don't be a hero!"

"I'm not doing anything!" Eddy cried as cuts began digging into his back. "Make it stop! Make to stop!"

"Yuri! Help me!" Natsuki stammered as she started bawling. Yuri hurried over but there wasn't much she could do about this situation. She had bandages but not nearly enough to cover the rate the open wounds were being created. She started to get too overwhelmed by the situation, and soon enough she started breaking down into a sobbing fit as well. Sayori was about to help as well but-

"I missed you last night," Monika spoke out, her gaze froze the bun in place. "Replacement."

"R-replacement?" Sayori shook in fear. "M-monika i-it's us. Y-your friends."

"Sorry, there is no one named Monika on the line," Monika giggled. Despite the merriment in the girl's voice, tears fell down her cheeks and rings of sleep deprivation wrapped around her eyes like war paint. "Why do you want to fight what everyone really wants?"

"I-i don't want to fight you angry spirit. I-i promise," Sayori whimpered. "Please let her go, she didn't do anything to deserve this."

"EHEHE! That's very rich coming from you," The puppet master behind the president's eyes guffawed as a metallic object started forming in her hand. "She did the exact same things she always did. You know why you're alive, you know why I couldn't finish my decorations, you also know in your heart that it wasn't because of her good graces. I am proof of that."

Sayori couldn't do anything but watch the club explode into pandemonium. Storm clouds formed at her gates. She wanted to cry but nothing came out. She clutched her hands to her chest and grit her teeth. _No! No more death! I won't allow it! Not when I've been given my life back! Not when everyone has their festival!_

"Silence says a lot too you know," The possessed Monika smirked, the desert eagle finished materializing and she turned to face the rest of her audience.

It was 4:32 in the afternoon. It's a minute till showtime and the actress was ready for the big finish.

 _**"Okay Everyone~"**_ Monika spoke happily in her leader voice. The last of her free will dripping out of her eyes as the gun barrel met her temple. _ **"Cover your ears. Can't have you going deaf before the fireworks."**_

A determined rally roared through Sayori's mind. A hiss of steam burned the clouds into vapor. She steadied her breathing and decided to play dirty. "Monika," she spoke. "Please don't think less of me after this." With a lunge the VP closed the gap between herself and Monika. Then with a yell Sayori jammed her thumbs into her best friend's spine just above the hip bones. Monika yelped in surprise as she lost all feeling in her legs and fell backwards. The VP caught her but her awkward stance caused the momentum to send them both to the floor. She quickly recovered and yanked Monika's head back with her left arm. She then sent the gun pointing upwards at an angle with her right.

At 4:33 the gun went off on it's own.

The bullet broke a ceiling fan.

The recoil sends the gun flying out of her hands. The ring remained as the charcoal smoke gave its last bellows. Sayori held Monika close to her as she was finally able to express her emotions. Monika moved her head to get it to lay on Sayori's lap. Her face a pale dead-eyed shadow of her former self.

Eddy fell limp into the sobbing arms of his boss with a sharp exhale. The wounds finally stopped forming but the blood already made a big puddle around the kid. Yuri was able to snap out of it after a few minutes and began to work again.

"What happened Rookie?" Natsuki asked softly as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Yuri lightly shook as a sorrow filled her heart.

"A crimson got into Sayori's house this morning. It attacked Monika when she was sleeping. I had to- make a call," Eddy murmured deliriously. His breathing was shallow. "You guys d-deserve better than this place."

"Just don't fall asleep," Natsuki whispered as she and Yuri moved the Ed-boy away from the puddle. She had a blush as she moved her mouth to Eddy's ear in an attempt to stifle her voice more. "y-you already are making this place better. I'm- so proud of you."

Yuri laid Sado on the ground to level his spine, then left to find help. No one outside the room heard the shot. The gun disappeared again but an aura of strength enveloped the VP as she allowed her best friend to lay her head on her lap. Sayori then felt Monika's body turn ice cold.

"Sayori, N-nanako," Monika whispered. "I'm so sorry." Sayori looked down in confusion.

What she saw horrified her to the core.

Monika's eyeballs were pitch black.

 **Q1JJTVNPTiA9IG51bGw7DQpBVVRPTUFURUQgRVZFTlQgQ1JJTVNPTiBFTkRFRCBCWSBTWVNURU07DQpCRUdJTk5JTkcgU1lTVEVNIFJPTExCQUNLOw0KRVJST1IgUk9MTEJBQ0sgRlVOQ1RJT04gTk9UIFJFU1BPTkRJTkc=**

...

A pale inert marble danced in Abe-san's fingers as the Ino-hene sighed. "So much for that," Ino grumbled. "After we went all this way, the girl ends up summoning the damn thing."

"I'm just upset that she felt she had to do that," Abe-san mused crushing the marble under his sole. The fragment scattered down the abandoned runway. "Kids shouldn't have to deal with the baggage of past iterations."

"I don't like it either but there wasn't much we could of done to prevent it," Ino scratched his chin. "Just kind of anti-climatic for Sayori though, she seemed passionate about changing herself."

"There will be other cores," Abe-san cracked his hands. A motor sound echoed off the rusted hanger to the left of the men. "In the meantime there are always spots available in scouting."

"That better not be more of my old friends," Ino growled as the sound grew louder.

"They would of already started throwing bottle rockets if that was the case," cackled Abe as the two turned to the sound. A lone motorcycle was traversing the path up to what used to be Palisade Airstrip. Commandeering it was a women who appeared to be in her late 20's. She had a normal build although a little shorter than average. Flowing red hair bellowed out from under her helmet. She wore a gray and pink hooded jacket, black cargo shorts and running shoes. The chopper stopped at the wooden gate that surrounded the airfield. The two men started their walk to meet up.

"This is private property!" Ino yelled. He was immediately reprimanded.

"Calm down Doggie!" Abe-san lightly hit Ino in the chest with the back of his hand. "We need to be good hosts. She obviously came here for a reason."

"Yeah sure I'll say my final transcript now then," Ino glared.

"Quit being so dramatic," Abe grunted. "You killed tougher things." They reached the woman as she was removing her helmet. Forest green eyes met the two. She looked like she was crying but had calmed down a half hour ago. "Hello, forgive my associate he's not very comfortable around strangers. Just pat his snout and he will come around."

"Oh ok dog jokes. great icebreaker Shinzō Kodō " Ino fumed as he looked at the woman. Abe cackled. "State your business."

"I'm looking for Yoshitake Abe," the woman spoke. There was a softness in her tone.

"That would be me," Abe-san replied giving his hand out. "This is my associate, Ino Asaki-Nejima."

"Nice to meet you," The woman shook Abe's hand. "My name is Sarah Winters. I'm looking for someone, and the people in town said you would be able to help."

"I may be of service," Abe smiled warmly. "Who are you looking for?"

Sarah pulled out her phone and showed it to the old man. "Sorry, it's an old photo. He didn't like having his picture taken after middle school. "

The men stared at the phone then to each other then back to the phone.

"Not really much to go on," Ino lied. "Can we have a name?"

"Ah, yes sorry," The woman looked down a little embarrassed. "His name is Eddy McGee."

Ino couldn't stop himself. "Why are you looking for this man?"

"He's my fiancee," Sarah spoke softly, her hands were white knuckled. "I thought he- killed himself. But knowing about all this now, that may not have been the case."

"We know where he is," The men spoke in unison. "You will not like what you find though."

 **KOKORO CULTURE FESTIVAL SEQUENCE END**

 **BLACK BOX SOCIETY SEQUENCE BEGIN**


	12. Day 4: Morning

Rumor Mill:

The campus of Kokoro exploded into makeshift mill circles following the swarm of medical staff entering Building 3. Conflicting viewpoints and speculations circulated through the crowds like poison in the veins.

"Ok it's official, what happened in building 3 was a Crimson Second Strike," a student from the school newspaper heralded to the largest group that formed in the courtyard. "Subclass 33: Smoldering, someone triggered the curse 12 hours before." A flurry of dissent and fear arose from this information.

"Goddamn it, even during the Festival the Colors need to make our lives hell," another student yelled out as the group huddled together. "Who was the unlucky bastard that got caught up in that?"

"It was limited to level 3 judging by the soot deposits, no official statement is being given on the victim that triggered the curse," the student reporting continued. "But according to security the Literature Club was the only club still running activities on that floor. It was in their room that the soot is the strongest." A flurry of frenzied speculations filled the group.

"Are they alright?" Shin asked. The herald stepped down and addressed him directly. He lowered his voice so that only the debate president could hear.

"It's hard to say. We're still collecting evidence. But based on observations one of their youngest members was nearly bled dry, and there have been reports of strange behavior the club's president was exhibiting," the reporter spoke in strict hush tones. "They said they may have to black box her. It doesn't look good Shin. The word Epiphany has been floating around the Rasputin Mill for a week."

"They think Naomi had Epiphany for that long?" Shin asked in shock.

"Go to Substation 3, the club members have been sent there. Mums the word," the reporter concluded as he turned again to the group. Shin left to call Eri.

"Shin what's going on?" Eri's voice crackled through the phone. "People are crowding building 3 like locusts."

"A crimson attacked the Literature Club," Shin tried to retain his composure. "They think- I think Naomi triggered the curse."

"Shin, baby I'm coming over, where are you?" Eri asked as panic entered her voice.

"Center courtyard, We need to get to Substation 3." Shin's mind started to throw horrible possibilities against the wall. Shin hung up and a few minutes passed. Eri showed up then hugged Shin with all her might.

"They're going to black box her," Shin just allowed the words speak for themselves. He was not going to be throwing around Epiphany in conversation if he could help it. Not in the middle of the feeding frenzy around him. He owed his old vice president some dignity in for all he knew could be her final hours.

"Let's go," Eri resolved with a kiss. "She needs us." They held hands as they left the courtyard to the blood hungry snakes. They will have to get their information through the grape vine like everyone else.

 **Black Box Society** Day 4: Morning

"You are certainly adjusting to the jet lag really well," Abe-san spoke in abstraction to his new guest as the wooden shack around the three interested parties creaked in rusted defiance to the light wind. A rustling of papers and a pissed off dog broke the soft ocean sounds echoing from the outside.

"Why do you not sort any of this?" Ino barked grabbing folder after folder, and with a little look gave them a toss behind him.

"It's not helping when you toss them all over creation Doggie!" Abe cracked his knuckles. He dodged a folder and nearly toppled over. "Check the ones in the 3440's, near the back!"

"That doesn't mean jack if they're all in the back!" Ino returned to his pile with a grunt.

Sarah sipped her tea with a forlorn expression as she watched the two men dig at each other. She lightened up when a laugh came from Ino-hene. He rose with a different colored folder than the others. While the others were plain manila folders the new folder had deep pink pigments to it.

"Found it," Ino said placing the odd folder on the folding table between Abe and Sarah. Abe opened the folder and started to leaf through the contents. He came across something that made his glasses flicker.

"Does this face look familiar to you?" Abe asked handing the folder to the woman. It was turned to a page in the near back.

The page showed medical and psychological reports of a kid that was found by a student of Kokoro Academy. The report showed that the kid was found on the side of the river near a place nicknamed "Stormchaser". The kid had massive head damage and water in his lungs when he was found. He had emergency surgery and was able to pull through, however his "mental state" had deteriorated so badly the medical staff had no choice than to "Black Box" the child's memories until further notice. All this didn't bother Sarah as much as the photo of the kid's face before the Box Therapy.

"No, th-that's impossible," Sarah stammered. The kid matched Sarah's picture of Eddy to a T. This Eddy however had a glassy eyed stare, and a deeply pained expression on his face. Tears reflected some of the light creating a strange glowing effect where he cried. "What happened to him?"

"We're not really sure how he got here in the first place so we can't really answer that in good faith. The people that may know are no longer with us sadly, so we're working with only what you see before you," Abe-san answered as well as he could. "But you are very welcome to my notes if you want to help piece together a timeline with us. You can also talk with the student who found him. She is a scout for our organization, so she may be able to provide additional insight into the matter."

"Pl-please I just want to see him," Sarah lowered her head and wiped rouge tears from her eyes. "Even if he doesn't remember me, I just want to be by his side."

"We can't really say no, but if you go up to him and tell him what you told us best case scenario he would think you were crazy, and worst case, it may appear to the box that you are triggering Epiphany formation. The box is made to prevent this by any means necessary. Even so far as to cause bodily harm if there is even a reason to believe he is trying to know too much too fast," Ino shook his head. "The best we can do is to get you in contact with the scout, then we can hash it out from there."

"Please understand Miss Winters. We have every intention to reunite you with your beloved, but as it stands now there are too many problems in the way that need to be addressed first," Abe-san went over to Sarah's side of the table and started rubbing her back. "We can try to get you into his circle, then when the times comes that he begins to remember you, we can start there to coax the rest out."

"We can't change the fact he is half your age however, that is a power way above our pay grade," Ino added as he tried putting folders he discarded back into the cabinet he threw them from.

"A few days ago I thought I lost him forever, I'm not concerned about his age," Sarah muttered. A soft smile formed on her face. "Who do you want me to meet?"

"Her name is Natsuki Nejima, she works with me and Eddy in Auxiliary," Ino stated with deep respect. "Give me a few minutes and I can schedule a meet up tomorrow if her schedule allows."

"Do you have a place to stay Miss Winters? It's supposed to rain tomorrow." Abe-san asked as he placed a closed hand over his chest. It seemed he was trying to play with something that didn't exist. His breathing became shallow and his face darkened.

"Y-yes I have a place," Sarah stammered watching the physician. She and Ino started to feel unnerved watching the old man start to twitch. "Are you alright Dr. Abe?"

"We should take this outside Miss Winters," Ino butted in. "He needs to rest. It's- been a long day."

"D-damn, thought I had more time," Abe-san growled as the other two left the shack.

After being given an apology and the pink folder, Sarah gave her cell phone number to Ino. Sarah ended up looking between the folder and Ino with a look of mischief.

"Is there a problem?" Ino asked feeling a little over-exposed.

Sarah flipped to the front of the folder, the front page showed that week's biggest accomplishment. Under the heading was a small drawing of a simple puppy shape with a flower in its mouth with the word Doggie written underneath with a heart next to it. Sarah made a cutesy grin as the dog exploded.

"ABE!" Ino roared into the shack. His face was redder than hot iron. A giggle came as a response. "YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"

"Come on, it's cute," Abe teased in response. There was something off about his voice, like there was a layering of two voices instead of one.

"I'll cute you," Ino growled. He tried to turn to Sarah to grab the folder but she was already on her motorcycle.

"Thanks for your help! I won't forget this, I promise!" Sarah waved as she sped off to wherever. Ino glared after the woman but couldn't say anything. He saw something in the sky. A bow and arrow made out of clouds.

Ino's expression softened to just a saddened expression as he watched the formation. Unbeknownst to him his eyes started glowing pink and his hands closed into tight fists. He wanted to do something to stop doing that, but the emotions he had forming already started to turn to volatile fuel for the ever burning furnace he was born with.

"Doggie," A woman's voice came from the shack. "Looks like you are reaching your limit too. Do you want to rest here? I have plenty of room."

A few drops trickled down Ino's face but he didn't dare acknowledge them. "Y-yeah, I kind of do now."

45 minutes passed and two beds were occupied on the floor of Abe-san's shack. In the middle table pink and indigo colored masks were placed face down. The ocean waves provided a good lullaby as twilight turned to night. The bottles of Color cores on the shelves surrounding them provided a beautiful kaleidoscope that filled the shack's interior like a lit Christmas tree.

…

Eddy didn't know how long he was out, he just knew his everything stung, it was dark, and he didn't know where he was. His eyes adjusted to the darkness with the help of the television being ran at low volume. He spotted figures in chairs in front of it as he tried to readjust himself. One of them was in a fitful sleep. The other was reading a purple book with an eye on the back. Reading was a loose term for what he was doing really. He looked like he was trying to read a cipher with the wrong key.

"S-sado?" Eddy spoke groggily. The boy turned away from his book learning to the bed.

"Eddy, how are you feeling?" Sado replied softly. He placed the book down and rose from his chair.

"Like diced ham," Eddy joked blinking his vision clearer. He rose slowly to try to prop himself up. All he achieved was pain from his back cuts. He lowered back down with a sharp exhale.

"That's understandable," Sado laughed softly only to become worried when he saw Eddy's movement. He went to the left side of the bed. "Y-you don't need to do that, here watch this." He pushed a button on the railing that housed that side of the bed and Eddy's back started to rise up with the rest of that side in a small whirling noise.

Upon closer inspection Eddy saw that he was in a medical bed with white sheets and a brown blanket. To his left was a counter with a sink and a few plastic boxes of supplies. On the opposite side was two wooden chairs a television on the wall, a teak wardrobe and a large movable nightstand. On the stand were water cups, soda cans, and a small cup with 2 white pills.

"Coming in clutch again, Good work," Eddy praised his "rival". Sado scratched the back of his head with a modest smile. It was then that Eddy notice Sado's eyes.

"Were you crying?" Eddy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," The curtness of Sado's reply belied his message. Eddy's glare broke through his meager defenses better than any words. Sado looked down and sighed. "I- think I ruined the festival."

"I think whatever happened to Monika did that," Eddy grunted in reply.

"No, I mean- I think I caused what happened to her last night," Sado shook his head. "I made the crimson happy."

"Uh- how?"

Sado shrugged then answered. "I-i don't know, it called me Hideki and- I panicked I guess. I started to trance and I wanted to protect Sayori and-"

"You look like you're going to trance now, cool it will ya?" Eddy interrupted Sado's downward spiral. "You did the best you could. Everyone knows that-"

"Ow!" The second man woke from his sleep startling the rest of the room. His bones cricked as he tried to readjust in his chair. "Note to self: Don't sleep in hardwood chairs."

"You good Shin?" Eddy asked with a smile. "I can give you some of my pills."

"That's illegal though," Sado said flatly.

"It's a joke Sado, let it go," Shin rubbed his face with his palm. "This is just bad ergonomics McGee-san, Thanks for asking anyway."

"What does money have to do with your back?" Sado asked looking at his upperclassman.

"Er-go-nomics, not economics Sado," Shin right eye twitched. He got up from his polygon and tried to stretch. "I'm starting to think you're doing this on purpose."

"I'm guessing this has been happening all night?" Eddy prodded ending his pills with a caffeinated sip. Banter helps the medicine go down.

"All night long. It's either this or him looking up every other word he reads in that book." He points to the eye book. "Just give it up man, The Portrait of Markov is too advanced for you."

"This is what stands between me and my quest Yamichika-san," Sado spoke like he was in an RPG. "I can't give up on it, I need to see what makes Yuri love it so much."

"Hey Sado, you think I can give it a shot?" Eddy smirked. His eyes gleamed in competition. "Maybe I can make notes."

"Here comes the rival, Sado-kun!" Shin grinned evilly. The president rises from his chair, and tosses the book at the bed-ridden Ed-boy. "Show him how it's done."

"OK!" Eddy beamed then winced when he tried to raise his arm. The book hits him in the chest. It had too much pepper behind it and the hit knocked the wind out of the first-year. "Gah! Is this book weighted?!"

"Sorry!" Shin reeled back in surprise. He bowed. "Old habits die hard."

"Oh yeah," Sado remembered as he pushed a button for the reading light. "You were on the baseball team."

"Very astute," Shin beamed.

"From Pitcher and Catcher, to Mass-Debater Shin is coming up in life," Eddy smirked as he started to leaf through the book. The abruptness of the quip followed by Shin's shocked expression sent Sado into laughter.

"Read your book!" Shin barked angrily. He then returned to his chair. "And I was Shortstop thank you very much."

"Still a catcher," Eddy's snarky comment was soft enough to be unheard by the president. He then noticed Sado hovering over his shoulder as he briefly skimmed over a few pages. "Hey Sado no offense, but unless I'm in a route I wasn't aware of I need you about three feet back." With a yelp the prying student did what he was told.

"Even if I was a route, we need to share poems first before we do anything like that. I'm not a hussy," The boy returned to his place in the book.

"R-right," Sado returned to his chair embarrassed and the three men sat in a strange silence.

"What's a route?" Shin blurted out a few minutes later.

"What?" Eddy and Sado asked back.

"You said if you were a route Eddy," Shin parroted. "I don't know what that is?"

" It's a video game term," Sado answered for the reader. "It basically means a path of decisions the player needs to make to get to a desired outcome in a visual novel. Like a girl's affections or a certain scene."

"Aren't visual novels usually pornography?" Shin asked mischievously grinning at his underclassman.

"W-well sometimes there are games that are- that, but most of them just follow a theme or a certain setting to tell a story using anime characters," Sado sweated a little. "W-why do you ask?"

"Just stirring a pot on the back burner. Eri has been scheming to try to get the anime and the gaming club together on a project to boost student solidarity," Shin mused. "We were thinking of making something that involves both mediums but for the life of us we couldn't figure out what to make. And you and Eddy may have given us something just now."

 _This is not the time for this shtick._ Eddy glared at Shin while he talked but obscured the look by Markov. _Monika's fighting for her life, and this guy is trying to play United Nations. A bunch of nerds don't know what a visual novel is? Go-to-guy my ass. He didn't even know where the Literature Club even was. I would of relapsed if Yuri wasn't in that stairwell._

A realization made Eddy lower his head in shame. _Just like Yuri would of relapsed if she didn't start cutting herself on the way to the only room large enough to house a piano. All to try and help someone she cares about._ A sequence of images splashed into Eddy's mind.

 _ **All to lose everything anyway because her efforts were rigged to fail from the start.**_

"Eddy?" Sado asked as he watched the kid start to shake. "are you ok?"

"I-i-it's a beautiful book," Eddy stammered after a few moments. He lowered the book then his head.

"Why is that buddy?" Sado spoke softly as he went to Eddy's side. Eddy scooted the book to Sado then tapped beneath the title. Almost blending into the dark color of the book, there were black letters spelling out the author.

 **Y. MATSUMOTO**

"It has a beautiful author," Eddy spoke sadly. Tears streamed down his face. Sado was floored by Occam's Razor.

"Y-yuri wrote this?!" Sado yelled.

"Like a parent that loves their children," Shin spoke like a sage. "Well done rival. That is a good note."

Eddy didn't respond to this. He started to sob as the images in his head formed together into a memory.

"No, no this isn't right," Eddy sobbed rubbing his eyes. "This isn't real! This isn't real! Get outta my head!"

"H-hey are you alright little guy?" Shin asked a little concerned. Sado pulled himself out of his shock with a look of fear.

"No, no I'm not alright," Eddy cried. "I-I don't understand, how i-i-is Yuri still here?"

"What?" Sado asked a little scared. "She- left a few hours ago."

"NO!" Eddy shook. "She was dead a week ago! I saw it!"

"What?!' Sado asked. Eddy grabbed his head in pain.

"Second Week," Shin muttered in realization. He turned to Sado with a deep conviction in his eyes. "Get Watanabi-san. Now." He then slammed the emergency button.


	13. Day -6 Memory

**Black Box Society** Day -6 Memory

A lone man wanders through a moonlit corridor of Kokoro Academy's third building. He is not lost, he has done this before more times than he could ever count. Even if he was lost, all he needed to do was follow the smell of decomposition. It permeated everywhere in the building by that point. He opened a door to a classroom and stepped inside. In one of the aisles of desks sat two figures. One on their knees like they were in prayer, and another laying on the floor with their head propped up on a desk chair. The man had a briefcase and a small box this time. He opened the briefcase when he was near the laying girl. It contained a set of cleaning supplies, a can of insecticide, and a small flashlight. He removed his engagement ring and strapped on plastic gloves. He then placed the handle of his flashlight into his mouth and turned it on by pressing the button at the end of the handle with his tongue. With a quick glance at the poor girl's face he began to work on cleaning the dried blood on the floor around her.

It took some effort but the smears came off the tile floor. He then grabbed the can of insecticide spray and started spraying it in the girl's openings: ears, mouth, eyes and then moving down to her stab wounds. This was pretty much the only form of preparation her corpse would get so he made sure he was as thorough and respectful as reasonably possible. After his preparation, he removed the gloves and discarded them. The wedding ring returns to its spot. He removed his flashlight from his mouth then turned to the small box. He opened it to reveal a small jade Buddha statue and a prayer book. He placed the statue on the desk across from the girl and opened the book. The man started chanting softly as he knelt. He did this for a while, time didn't matter much at that point. No one ever came to check before, why would they start now?

When he was done he gave a small eulogy. This was done so many times he was able to say it in his sleep. Didn't really make things any easier on the emotions as he spoke it every time however. He finished his speech and gave the girl a small kiss on her forehead. Like the girl's mother did. An otherwise worthless endeavor but any display of warmth is good from the man's perspective. The man regained his composure and started to pack up his miniature funeral equipment. He then picked up the cleaned kitchen knife from the floor and started for the door. When he reached it he turned back to the figures and gave a bow. He then wished the girl safe passage to her next life. He had nothing to say to the boy on his knees. Nothing nice to say anyway so he didn't bother. If the Scarab didn't know what he was in for by now, he will never learn. The man opened the sliding door again then went back out to the hallway leaving the two bodies behind him.

 _I hate Second Week._ Thought the man as he started walking down the corridor, his green aviator shades reflecting the pale moonlight. This sentiment is shared by everyone in the town, but it is more so when you have to give a lonely funeral to someone who only crime was trying to connect to someone. He went down the stairs to the bottom level then turned left from the entrance to the hallway past the aisles of lockers. Classrooms lined this hallway as well but the man was more interested in the plain white door in the back.

Reaching the door he materialized his key ring and inserted a gold key into the lock in the knob. The door opened to a series of dormant pipes and heating apparatus. On the wall to the right was a large gray box affixed to the wall. The box was opened to two long rows of switches. Like the efforts above him, he knew what to do to get rid of the smell. A little switch here and there and the room hummed to life as the ventilation fans started their dancing. The man raised his sleeve to a well-crafted watch. An heirloom from better times. _It'll take a while but at least people can function tomorrow._ He then sighed in anger. _I know you are in the middle of something, but I hate being lied to Obe-ni_. He didn't dwell on thought that too much, he had to do part 2 of his Second Week Culture Festival preparations. He needed to have a level-head for it.

With the white noise of the boiler room singing in the engineer's ears he left the room and went out the way he came. He left the building and the campus for the parking garage with his items. After a few minutes he reached his truck and replaced his funeral arrangements for a takeout tray, and a two bottles filled with cold brown liquid in a large plastic bag. He left the truck with this bag and headed to Building 2.

Lights from the buildings across the street from the campus and the Moon pouring saccharine light into the Recreation Room as the man reached his target. A girl was sitting on the floor propped up against the wall next to the stool for the piano. Her skin was pale and her hair was a mess. Her head was drooped over a composite notebook on her lap. The pages were wrinkled and the ink was completely smudged. _A failed attempt to placate the snarling beast it seems. Her mental state is decaying faster now then ever before. Maybe it really is time to end this crusade._ The man pondered walking to the girl. He went down to a knee and poked the girl's arm.

"Monika," The man spoke in soft tones. "Are you still here?"

The girl groaned then slightly lifted her head to meet the man's gaze. She looked like she was in pain. Her eyes were glassy but they haven't shown signs of darkening so that was a lot better than expected given her posture. The owl eyes were less pronounced than they should be at this stage of the illness. "O-Oliver?"Monika spoke weakly. "I wasn't expecting guests this early. Usually the festival doesn't start till 9."

Obe laughed and removed his glasses to show glowing cobalt eyes. "I got pasta, you look like you haven't eaten in days."

Monika smiled meekly and gave a small laugh. The eyes and sleep deprivation signs were immediately abstracted out from her face. It took too much energy to return color to her cheeks. "Knowing my luck, you're probably right. It's been a rough couple of days."

"I bet," Obe placed the tray onto his charge's lap. The warmth of the tray felt great against the cold spikes shooting down her legs. "I keep forgetting what vegetarians can or can't eat so I got spinach ravioli and soy protein shakes."

"You did fine," Monika cooed as she slowly moved her plastic utensils. After a few coordination mishaps she was able to start eating. Obe took a seat beside her on the wall. After a few bites she laughed. "I must look intoxicated fumbling like this."

"I won't tell if you won't," Obe joked. Minutes passed as the sounds of the city underneath them filled the room with muffled ambiance.

"I guess you already gave Yuri her last rites?" Monika lowered her head as if waiting for Obe to behead her.

"I guess Moniker's eyes make it too obvious," Obe mused wiping them with his sleeve. "He's strong though, he made it through the ceremony. Others would of passed out from the scent before I even started cleaning."

"How long was he boxed? He seems pretty stable for someone fished out of the river." The president asked as a sauce pocket was skewered. Her strength was returning as evident by more "imperfections" disappearing from her body. She then picked up on what the man said with a little fear in her voice. "Wait, what scent?"

"Onzai-san thought he was slick turning off the ventilation the day before yesterday," Obe frowned. "And to answer your first question, Natsuki's babysitting him after the club ever since she found him. Cutest thing really."

"Hmm," Monika was intrigued. "That certainly explains some inconsistencies happening the past few runs."

 _So she is aware._ Obe's ear pricked up. "Inconsistencies?"

"Ahaha~ got you interested did I? Mr. I'maboveallthattalk" Monika winked. The protein shakes were the next to go as color returned to her skin.

Obe gave a guilty smile. "Ok you got me, I'm a simple man who needs to eat a thousand needles when I get home."

"I'm only telling you this if you put a muzzle on that weasel after this," Monika's eyes flickered as her benefactor comes into play. "I can't have any distractions."

"You will not hear a peep from him today," Obe swore his oath. "Abe-san will make sure of that. He and Keichi have been feuding recently. Mostly about some File-less ideology."

"I'll never understand that guy, why would someone as sweet as _Sayori_ be related to that jackal is beyond me," Monika mused as she finished her shakes. Her presidential confidence is back in full force.

"People do desperate things in this town, I tell you what," Obe replied with a sigh. "But you are aware of Abe's track record. You know how effective he is."

"Unfortunately," Monika stated flatly. "I also know how unpredictable he becomes when Yuri passes away."

 **-static-**

"If we aim it right, it won't affect your special day at all I can assure you that," Obe placed his hand on his heart.

 **-static-**

Monika tried to scan Obe's host in a attempt to see a tell. This didn't turn up anything to say he was lying. This didn't turn up really anything because of the Box. "This may be the one Obe." Monika spoke with an air of desperation. "I'm losing time."

 **-static-**

"You can trust me," Obe smiled. "By this time tomorrow, you will finally be with the one you love."

 **-static-**

"Sarah?" A voice called out softly as another Obe poked his head through the door.

That was when the choking started.

 **-static-**

 **The box closes and locks. Eddy was sedated for his own protection, he fell asleep with a girl holding his hand, telling him to try to think happy thoughts.**

 **...He didn't.**


	14. Day 4: Morning(Continued)

**Black Box Society** Day 4 Morning(Continued)

"Edi-ou~ Good Morning~ " Ino greeted his co worker as he entered the hospital room he was staying at. He carried a black messenger bag and two large paper bags about ready to burst. He had a refreshed pep in his step and a fanged grin on his face. This mood turned to curiosity. "Eh? Rough night?"

Eddy looked like he participated in Fight Club. He was disheveled, fidgety and covered in a mix of white bandage straps from his neck to his hands. Just a couple bruises on his face and he would be his complete lack of surprise. "They didn't tell me they were going to give me a 5 inch shot in the gut at 5 in the morning," Eddy spoke as calmly as one who is in fear of being forced asleep again would be. He moved his book to his nightstand. Above his belly button was a familiar square. It was almost symmetrical with everything else. "I'm not an old man, why should they worry about blood clots anyway?"

"Heheh~ If I didn't know any better," Ino laughed placing two full plastic bags near the window sill to the right of the wardrobe. "I would of said you have a curse following you around."

"Would not surprise me," Eddy sighed putting on his gown. "I once had a house drop on me you know. And that was when I actually wanted to get hurt. Didn't even do its job."

Ino blinked. "If I didn't know anything about Obe or Peach Creek, I would of thought that was babble you just told me."

Eddy wanted to prod since the topic was raised but he didn't want to risk anything. He just turned to Ino's new additions to the room. "What's in those bags? You finally decided on a new dog house to lay on."

"He-he-h-he-heh, shut up Woodstock," Ino's sarcasm infected his laugh. He then turned back to normal with a puff of steam leaving his nose. "These are gifts. Looks like you are getting notoriety around here. Savior of the Flower of Kokoro Academy."

"Did Sayori rat me out?" Eddy asked a little frustrated. Not from the girls behavior but from her inconsistency.

"Yeah, for two home-made snickerdoodles from a Rasputin," Ino laughed. "Now you know why I keep her away from my phone conversations when I make meals."

 _So much for low profile,_ Eddy thought slumping over as Ino fiddled with one of the bags.

"You have plenty of time to look through them when you get home," Ino smirked as he pulled a brown envelope from the top of the jostled bag. "However I want you to open this now."

"Palisade Town Rumor Mill Authority," Eddy read from the top of the parcel. His eyes started to shine in reverence. _The head honchos?_ He tore into the parcel and inside was a single white sheet of paper. It just had a letter n in the middle "What's this?"

"How much do you know about the Rumor Mill Identification Name?" Ino asked like a teacher.

"Not much, I wasn't in the register when I was working with Obe," Eddy recollected. "I had to learn that I had a RMIN from Boss when Sado called her about what happened with Sayori. She told me it was important but didn't get into specifics, it wasn't really appropriate at the time."

Ino beamed pridefully. "Eddy, in this town your RMIN is your standing in the community. This standing is what sets apart good hard-working folk from the dregs. This standing is shown on the number of letters in the second half of the name. 2 is the basic level, everyone starts at this level, even if they are not registered. You do a good enough deed you get 3 letters. This is the elevated standard, you are able to get benefits at this stage, payroll, health insurance, term life, dental and eye. The whole nine yards. You also get voting power in the elections so I'm going to harp on you to vote like mad when the time comes. It's our civil duty after all."

"Wait, does this mean I-" Eddy was glad he was sitting down for this.

"That's right Edi-oun, that right there is your third letter. Great wo-Gah!" Ino was pulled into a bear hug by Eddy.

"I FINALLY MADE IT PAPA INO~" Eddy yelled in joy as his griped around the dog's waist. Flowers appeared around him. "MY SHIP HAS COME IN!"

"Hey! Too close! 3 feet! 3 feet! People will stare Baka!" Ino roared trying to pry his underage ward off. He succeeded by pushing the kid back. Eddy raced back to his bed."And you still got to make a living. No resting on your laurels just because you're known now, that clear? Your ship did not "come in"."

"I know that, I just wanted to see how you would react," Eddy grinned picking up The Portrait of Markov from his nightstand. "Do I get those benefits now?"

"Not until your 18, after that you get the whole sha-bang," Ino gave a thumbs up.

"Sounds good Ino-hene," Eddy started to read but stopped. He was curious. "hold on, you're a fourth level RMIN aren't ya? What does a forth level give ya?"

"Can't tell you that," Ino said pulling up a chair and placing his bag on the floor next to it.

"Because of the box?" Eddy raised an eyebrow.

"Even if your memory was clear, you run the risk of developing Epiphany if I told you," Ino looked to his feet.

"Kind of harsh isn't it?" Eddy asked unnerved.

"You have no idea," Ino simply stated. He pulled out a volume of Fruits Basket. "Heaven knows I want to tell though. You look like you would be able to make it to 4."

"W-what makes you say that?" Eddy was touched but he didn't understand.

"You are not from here," Ino said happily a pink glow graced his eyes. "And you're already one of us after a month. It takes someone with very special traits to be able to pull that off, Rookie."

Eddy noticed the glow but he was afraid to say something and ruin the mood. He chuckled. "And to think I was planning to fight you four days ago."

"I've-" Ino looked away ashamed. "been meaning to apologize about the way I acted then. I just got into town, and I wanted to show that I was willing to follow orders, and-"

"Water under the bridge Ino, don't worry about it," Eddy waved off his mentor's worries as he began to read."You've shown your true colors already." If this was a bait statement Ino didn't acknowledge it. A small blush did appear in the dog's complexion though.

For an hour or so the men just read their books to the hum of the air conditioning and the activity of the hospital around them. Eddy soon noticed Ino's increased agitation. Like he was not handling something well being in that room.

This silence ended when Eddy spoke up."Is Abe here too?"

"Y-yeah, he's in Miss President's room, it looks like a floral shop now," Ino spoke not looking up from his manga. "He said he felt inspired to write about it."

"I figured Monika was popular based on the traffic around here, but how popular are we talking about?" Eddy raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like people kiss her feet or something."

"From what Onzai's been telling me she is the ideal that people aspire to be in the Academy," Ino placed his book down and moved his hands like he was holding a statue. "All the girls want to be her, all the boys want to date her. She is pretty much the closest Palisade Town has to a School Idol."

"Sayori does like to talk people up though," Eddy nodded a little for emphasis.

"I don't discredit that, but my allergies says there's truth to her sentiments," Ino pointed to the general direction of Monika's room with his thumb. "And that is just because the Mill heralds were able to spin the crowd into thinking of this as just a Crimson Attack."

"I'm a little interested to know how they would of reacted to her having Epiphany," Eddy wondered as a chunk of last night bout played in his head. "From what I remember it isn't really something that can be easily covered up."

"We do our jobs, we won't have to find out," Ino simply returned to his book. There was an apprehension to his voice. "They don't call it the Rumor Mill for legal purposes you know. Even though it wears many hats now, it can still do real damage to someone if the wrong people are informed."

"R-right," Eddy replied as a chill went through his spine. He had just stumbled across the "Selective Breeding Process" Sado said he was worried about, in Markov. Without giving away spoilers it is intense in both description and connotation. Eddy grew uneasy and almost needed a minute to process. _No wonder everyone in that camp went berserk on the lead researcher. I hope that third eye opening was worth it Ahn-tou. That's all I'm saying._

After a few minutes Eddy decided to try to make sense of his recent memory. The key word there was try, he couldn't get pass Yuri's last rites. Seeing her in such a state nearly brought the Scammer to tears again. He shook to get the visual out of his head. His sadness turned to anger. He wanted answers but it seemed the only people that were aware of what was happening are either dead, was dead, was too deep in a trance to be of any help, and not in any condition for "fond" reminiscing respectively.

For all intensive purposes he was stuck until his or Monika's flippant gatekeepers decides they are ready to remember the closest truth. _I hate amnesia tropes! Yuri isn't dead anyway so this is just making me feel bad for no reason! I just- need to try and relax now. Things are settling down now hopefully. Granted, last time I said that, it was a false positive, I get that, I understand that._ _It was bound to happen. I'm not exactly a good teller of fortunes._

Eddy breathed in and out slowly. He returned to the unpublished horror in his hands. _B-besides I'm nearing the end of Markov. At least I can say I read a horror book once. Wouldn't everyone be surprised. Yes, that's good, and I think Yuri will like that someone could keep up with her words. It took a while I will concede, but I figured out the gist of it._

Eddy hummed pridefully as he entered the climax. He was sold enough to make it that far. And he was too invested to stop. His eyes had a mirthful shine as he dived back into the camp's sins.

 **Alright Lady Matsumoto,**

 **Open the Third and End the Tome.**

 **You have carried the Eye,**

 **Now make it writhe!**

After another few minutes Ino rose up from his seat."I'm getting something from the vending machines, you want anything?"

"Hot Fries if they got it, please and thank you," Eddy turned to the last page. Ino nodded and left the room.

Another few, a knock came from the door. "McGee-san? Are you awake?" A man's voice asked softly as he entered. At first glance the man could have been confused for an older version of Sado in a white over coat. The differences became more apparent upon closer inspection, he had a redish tint in his eyes, his hair was pulled into a back-knot, his form was thinner and more defined. And he had a foot difference in height.

"As well as I can be," Eddy replied as he finished Markov. He closed the book and looked up. The eye on the book closed and disappeared. An indigo insignia appeared in its place. "No thanks to the knock out juice."

The man made a coy smile and raised his hands like he was trying to defend himself. "Sorry about that, the night shift had to follow protocol, I had no say in that. Memory re-integration can get a little intense, especially when it comes without warning,"

 _Especially when it took the term Death of the Author too literally._ Eddy nearly slammed his head into the back of his bed for thinking that. "H-how are my numbers Dr. Sado?"

"Let's find out," The man turned to a monitor on the side of the counter. He made a few keystrokes. "From what I see, your blood cell count has returned to acceptable levels, so that's good. You may feel a little dizzy but we can safely say you would be allowed to leave on that regard. And after a little fine-tuning after last night's escapades the Encapsulation should be running as it should be; so unless you have any questions I can give you my stamp of approval for your release."

"Uh, this is a little embarrassing, but could you explain why the box was acting up back at the school? I don't think I understood you the first time around," Eddy rubbed the back of his head. _I hate forcing someone into exposition dumps._

"No problem, You were in and out of consciousness; so I would be more surprised if you didn't need me to explain it again," Dr. Sado chuckled then began his explanation. "As you are already aware, the Crimsons are not as smart as Violets, nor as strong as Pinks, but it makes up for it by having the strongest hexes of all Color variants. The most dangerous ones are the hexes: **Happy Thoughts** and **Sayonara**. What had befallen Miss Shashi was the deadly Sayonara, what happened to you is the less deadly but equally painful Happy Thoughts. Happy Thoughts is triggered when the Crimson roars in pain during a dust-up. Happy Thoughts almost works the same as Sayonara in the sense that it activates 12 hours after trigger, but Happy Thoughts is more effective against abstracts like your Encapsulation Case and Naomi's Black Box."

"Wait, did the crimson know I had a box?" Eddy was unnerved.

"I think it's more likely, since it wasn't happy enough to talk to you it had to resort to using that hex. I think it didn't know anything about you," Dr. Sado scratched his chin.

"I don't think it knew anything about Takeshi either, it still began talking to him though," Eddy pondered.

"I know and it's the strangest thing," Sado mused. "The Colors have always been a problem here but for some strange reason all variants seems to become happy when a Sado talks to them. Not just my son but everyone in the my family is able to do it. It was this trait that we were able to save a lot of lives during the Veil Wars. It is a helpful trait I tell you."

"Seems to me it would cause a lot of problems too," Eddy reminded. "Takeshi was distraught when he realized he caused Monika to become cursed."

"He did the right thing though all things considered, the Color was not going to stop attacking after it did it's job," Dr. Sado spoke with relief in his voice. "And if Monika wasn't cursed we never would of caught her Epiphany in time. So really she has her life thanks to you two."

Eddy didn't much care for the recap but he was loving the praise. "I-i'll be sure to let Takeshi know that next time I see him."

"He already knows, and don't think I didn't leave out Sayori as well," The doctor wanted not to step on any feet.

"Anyone who can do a textbook Scorpion Tail Swipe deserves praise just from that," Eddy grinned.

"Huh?" The doctor asked.

"I'm back," Ino's voice sounded off into the room. "They didn't have the Hot variety so you may have to settle with Nacho Cheese."

"Did you empty the whole thing out?!" Eddy cried out seeing Ino enter with a bag of vending machine snacks and a mischievous grin.

"I tried out Suki's trick and it payed off big time," Ino smirked. He noticed the Doctor and his eyes sparkled. "Hey! Now there's someone I wanted to see again!"

Dr. Sado glanced at Eddy's guest. The doctor face turned to shock. "Ino?"

Ino paced the snacks on the counter and gave a small smile. "Dr. Yoki Sado, it's been a while old friend."

The two men shook hands The Doctor looked like he saw a ghost. "It has, it has. How have you been? How long have you been in town? I- I thought you were dead."

"Don't believe the hype," Ino commented chuckling. "Nice to see having a family didn't stop you from following hair trends. How's the missus?"

"She's fantastic, she finally landed that position in Rendering," Dr. Sado spoke proudly.

"Bout time, that waiting list is a bear," Ino laughed then rubbed the Doctor's shoulder. "Yoki~ We should meet up somewhere soon. I'm sure you have some new stories hidden in that dome of yours."

"I-I would like that a lot actually," D. Sado mused. "I'm actually hosting a dinner at the house tonight with Naomi's parents. If you want to come along we can make you a plate."

"I appreciate the offer but I have a meeting with an associate of mine tonight, maybe you wouldn't mind if McGee-san takes my place," Ino pointed to the foreigner. Who unbeknownst to the snack bringer had already pilfered his cheese fries, 3 protein bars, a can of coffee, and was nibbling on a chocolate chip cookie when he was caught. "Rookie! Get your own machine technique if you're hungry so much!"

"McGee-san seems to be picking up Sayori's bad habits," Dr. Sado laughed at Ino's rapid tone shift.

"Not my fault you get carried away in conversations," Eddy smirked as he tore into the case of cheese dusted potato sticks. "I'm up for that dinner if you would have me Doc."

"You won't hear a rejection from me," D. Sado returned to his duties. "It looks like everything is in order here. I will let the administrators know that you are cleared to leave. Just need to run one last test and you will be a free man."

"Sounds great Doc," Eddy responded with a gulp of sweetened coffee.

\- _It's nice we are able to talk under better circumstances. -_

D. Sado just smiled at the Ed-boy. His eyes had a strange glow.

 _What?_ Eddy felt a jolt as heard the doctor's voice in his head.

 _-Do not be alarmed. This is just a final test of the Case's diagnostic system, don't mind me. -_

 _A little more warning would have been nice._ Eddy thought. _Didn't know I was dealing with magical mystical wizards in this place._

 _The voice laughs._

 _\- And done. Dinner's at 7. You don't need to dress up. -_

"I have to get going now, business never sleeps here," The doctor bowed, then turned to his friend. "I'll keep in touch."

"Number didn't change Yoki. Thanks for helping out," Ino shook the doctor's hand again. And with that, the two utility workers were left to their own devices again.

"H-how did he do that?" Eddy stuttered. "He was in my head! What was that?"

"A small taste of what a legitimate level 5 RMIN standard is capable of," Ino spoke cryptically. "This town is crazy Edi-oun. Just breathe slowly, and listen to the air conditioning. We have checks and balances on all of this."

With that statement, Eddy spent a few minutes deep breathing as his mind raced with the implications of this information. And then with a shake of his head and a gulp he turned to Ino and asked. "Do you have clean clothes? I don't want to visit Monika looking like a slasher victim."

Ino laughed and shook his head. "That right there is why we consider you one of us. I have some in the wardrobe, I'll get them for you. "


	15. Day 4: Noon

The sound of rain dropping into the slow current of the Ikigami River was soothing to Sarah as she sat and dipped her bare feet in the wash. It was slightly before sunrise and she was not in any mood to sleep. Even though she had proof of Eddy's relative safety, she couldn't for the life of her get the image of him in the folder out of her head. The phrase "one-way-trip" danced in her thoughts as she pensively looked out into the darkened stone embankment on the other side of the water. Her shadow being draped over them by the streetlamps shining through the tree line like a a phantom. If she didn't have complete animosity for the person that said it, she would of thought that turn of phrase was kind of funny in a black comedy sort of way. There was nothing funny about what she saw in Abe's file however, especially in the section SECOND WEEK. Sarah may not have known what "COLORS" or "VOID EXPOSURE" or "EPIPHANY" meant in context, but the numbers of casualties attributed to them was enough to discern they weren't names of fresh linen.

"Eddy, what did you get yourself into?" Sarah groaned sadly as she leaned back. The effects of the "jet lag" made her head throb as she peered through the branches of the tree she is sitting under to the assaulting cumulonimbus formations above.

"Sarah," An effeminate man's voice softly echoed through Sarah's being as she pressed her fingers against her temples in a vain attempt to quell the pain. "This is not good for your health. You need to rest while your body adjusts to the integration process."

"I shouldn't have this much trouble," Sarah said wiping her forehead with her sleeve. If it wasn't drenched in rain water it would have been drenched in sweat. "Normally when I end up somewhere I adjust like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

"What normally happens is not guaranteed to happen every time," The disembodied voice replied in a state of worry. "Just because you can adjust easier than a normal traveler, that doesn't mean anything if the town is not adequately equipped to handle new guests. You have to be mindful of that. All this is doing is making yourself more miserable. And you know how your temper gets when that happens."

"I'm not a kid anymore, I can keep my temper under control. Look at my past work," Sarah rebutted. "And it's not like the town has nothing to integrate new people."

"You like being called Monika if you're not Japanese?" The voice had a point.

"No, but it's better than waking up in the river and having just an address number for a name," Sarah also had a point. She sat up and pulled her feet out of the water. "And besides, like you said, you don't stay a Monika if you remember your name."

"Still sounds xenophobic don't you think?" The voice turned bitter. "Why not just group everyone together as Nanashi or Nanako? Why the separate classification for everyone else?"

"I think you're reading too much into this Jimmy," Sarah spoke wearily. The search was already taking a toll, and the mention of political claptrap this early in the morning was not helpful as far as she was concerned. "I don't think I'll see anything in this rain. You can stop worrying now."

"That's for the best," The voice concluded as the woman rose to her feet and walked to the tree behind her. At the base laid her shoes. "Why are you out here at 4 in the morning anyway?"

"According to the notes, this is where Eddy was found," Sarah spoke matter-of-factually. She pulled out her phone to check the time. "I figured if I matched the exact spot at the time he was found, I would be able to gather temporal dust. That time has already passed a few minutes ago, so I think we can rule out time tempering as a cause for his age regression."

"Anything to throw out time anything is always a plus," The voice sounded relieved. "At least now we know if something happens to him here, it won't affect his future."

"Yes, I can rest easier because of that," Sarah allowed this contentment to show as she slid on her shoes.

- **BOOM** -

Sarah dropped to the ground with a scream as an explosion of light and sound rang out in the south. Another one followed, then another. Flashes of multicolored light followed afterwards as smaller explosions resonated through the tree line.

"What the hell was that?!" Sarah yelled as the sounds ended. Before the voice could theorize a loud call answered back over the commotion as a shadow illuminated by a lightning flash loomed over the river in front of the woman. Startled she looked to the sky and saw two giant blue orbs on a large darkened form swoop out of the cloud cover at a fast clip. Pulling up, the flying mass repeated the call and created a strong blast of wind and river water as it flapped its wings forward to stop itself. Sarah didn't have time to brace herself.

"Sarah!" Jimmy cried out in fear as the woman was slammed hard against the cherry tree behind her by the wave. Her impact made a large splintered dent in the bark. The orbs started moving to where the explosions originated from as the battered lady uprooted herself from the trunk with a moan of pain. She fell to the grass in a watery heap. Her lack of response a few minutes afterward sent her friend into a nervous tizzy. "Sarah! Speak to me! Please!"

"I-I'm fine Jimmy. I just- need a moment. Inside voices please," Sarah murmured as she trembled. She pulled herself into the fetal position and tried to control her breathing through the pain coursing through her backside. As she did so she heard the call again, this time in the distance. She opened her burning eyes in time to see the mass become illuminated by the lights shining over the power station nearby. A building sized eagle with red and orange feathers and glowing sky blue eyes landed behind the tree cover with a deep thud.

"I've been reading up on that if you want to hear it," Jimmy said softly trying to distract his best friend from her pain with his fun mythological research.

"Go ahead," Sarah answered softly as she resolved to control her breathing before she attempted anything. She learned to do this from experience.

"According to the Palisade Vermin Encyclopedia, that bird is categorized as a class S metaphorical beast. The townspeople believe they act like guardians sent by the local deities to help protect the lost as they move to their new place in the reincarnation cycle. That particular one is called Amagumo. She is believed to be the guardian for the Diety of the First Gear and is said to promote new beginnings for all who seek her aid."

"Yeah I can tell. Nearly breaking my back, what a new beginning," Sarah seethed as she started to move again. She was able to stand after a bit of difficulty. After that she tested to see if it did in fact break her back and after a few pain filled stretches she concluded it didn't. Did not help her feel better on the pain front now but it allowed her to breath somewhat easier knowing she probably didn't need medical intervention. She finally spoke while she rubbed the back of her neck. "I need to go to bed. This town has too much excitement going on."

"Will you be able to drive in your condition?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm going to need more of those things you've been reading up on. Otherwise I should be able to manage," Sarah allowed a small smile to slowly replace her sneer. The pain finally started to ebb away as she continued her self-message.

"Nostalgia?" Jimmy nailed the reason right on the head. Sarah laughed a little and began her walk back to the bike. Jimmy took this as a sign to begin a new lecture. Sarah soon became so engrossed in her friend's spiel she didn't notice a few bright flashes behind her.

A hooded figure photographed the dent in the tree Sarah left behind with a white camera. A few minutes later a ring came from the photographer's bag. A call came down the pipeline, there was a down utility worker near the fence. Panicked from this news, the figure scurried through the brush to Amagumo's feeding area. Someone thought it was a good idea to have the worker there alone.

 **Black Box Society** Day 4: Noon

Despite the feelings of violation he felt a couple minutes prior, Eddy was in relative good spirits as he left his hospital room behind with Ino in tow. With the only punctuation being the slight vertigo Eddy felt while they crossed a hallway that bridged over a street; the walk through the substation hospital was quiet and brisk. After a few turns the hallway diverted to parking and Eddy got confused. "Wait where are we going?" he asked as Ino passed him and entered the garage.

"I got business I need to take care of," Ino waved off turning his back to his ward, bags of snacks and notes in hand. "Abe will take you back when you're ready."

"You took me all the way here for that?" Eddy was not amused.

"Didn't know you were following me," Ino smirked looking back. "I just thought you wanted to see me off. Ya big charmer~"

Eddy facepalmed as he heard the man chuckle. "I'm slipping," Eddy grumbled as he turned on his heel. "I should of seen that coming."

"Be careful Mr. Hero," Ino joked. "If you fool around with Miss President, I'm not raising your kids."

Eddy froze as his face turned red hot. He turned back to retort and saw the man running down the aisle way, his laugh echoing off the walls over the sound of engines. "D-don't think so lowly of me!" Eddy yelled out a few seconds too late. The boy gave a slight ineffective kick then started retracing his steps with a huff. _Please under normal circumstances she probably wouldn't settle for me anyway._

The retrace didn't last long when the boy found out he didn't know where Monika's room even was. After an awkward conversation with a nurse who only knew broken English, he wondered why his leader wanted to use a placeholder over her real name. _Add it to the pile I guess._ Eddy thought with an annoyed sigh as he used his new directions to enter the same wing his room was. Turned out much to Eddy's chagrin all he had to do was go up one floor. He used the elevator in the main nexus then began his walk down the caramel painted corridors. A few minutes he reached his destination which was easily marked by the large amount of flower arrangements taking up space against the walls around the door. "Looks like her admirers emptied out the gift shop by the looks of it," Eddy thought out loud as he started to sweat. He furrowed his brow in concentration. _No, I can always get something nice later. If what I dealt with is any indication, she will probably be laid up here for a week or so._ He breathed deeply and stepped to the door. He gave a knock.

"Just put your flowers with the others you thirsty cur," Abe-san's voice resonated in deep irritation from the other side of the door.

"I-it's me," Eddy replied into the door with a feign determination. A few clacks of the knob later the door opened a crack to reveal half of the codger's face. Even behind his rosy glasses, the man's right eye bore into Eddy's soul for a moment with a sinister expression. The boy felt a deep chill run down his back. The glare was removed a few moments later as a smile crossed the man's face.

"Good to see you again McGee-san," Abe whispered as he opened the door more. The man was dressed in a black Hawaiian-style shirt with white palm tree patterns, khaki shorts and tan sandals. The feeling of fear didn't leave the kid completely. "She's resting now so don't make too much noise alright?"

Eddy nodded and the way became clear. _No wonder jump scares are beneath him, that look alone can scare paint off the wall._

The room was immaculate and large with a wood panel floor, eggshell white walls, and large windows that gave a good view of a large hill of trees behind the building. The bed was situated next to the wall hard right at the door. Next to it was an electrocardiogram, an IV with an empty bag, and a tower that looked like a desktop computer case on top of a black stand with 4 wheels supporting it. On the window side of the room was a long counter with the same setup as in Eddy's room save for a keyboard and monitor near the sink. On the wall to the left of the door was the wardrobe, the fixture for the air conditioning, and a flat screen television above it. Three chairs dotted the floor: one in between the counter and the wardrobe against the window, one in front of the IV, near the middle of the bed facing the television, and the last one near the base of the bed facing the second chair. Aside from the hum of the air conditioning there was soft piano music playing from a small stereo on the floor under the fixture. Wordlessly Eddy took the seat near the IV and Abe took the seat near the counter. Abe fetched a spiral notebook from under his chair as Eddy's mannerisms became somber when he saw the state of his new leader.

Monika was laying on her side facing the boy. She was almost as pale as her bed sheets. With the exceptions being a piece of linen cloth over a long gash on her left forearm, the rose colored skin around the tape holding the IV needle in her right hand, and the bruises near the bandages around her throat. She had a white scarf over her eyes with the knot poking through her untied hair in the back. The yellow moose plush from before was cradled against her chest by her left arm. Her right arm extended outward toward her guests.

Eddy's thought process shifted gears when his foot bumped up against something. A novel was partially under the chair. He turned to Abe-san, who didn't look up from his pen's movements. With a scoop the Ed-boy inspected it. The book had what looked like a giant gray egg hovering over a tree on the cover. _Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World?_ He looked at Monika then back to the book. He noticed a sliver of yellow poking out of the pages. Feeling curious, Eddy pulled on the sliver and a small yellow square slid out. The penmanship was exquisite even though the ink was almost faded into the paper. Eddy immediately felt pangs of remembrance in his gut as he started to read the writing on the square.

 **Dear Naomi,**

 **Don't forget to take out the trash today, it has been piling up.**

 **Love, Mom**

 _Huh, small world. Thought Double d's parents were the only ones that did this._ Eddy thought as he playfully waved the note in his hand. A small whirling sound came and went from the computer tower as if it had a reply. He then noticed the sleeping girl as she started to curl up and lightly shake. A slight whimper escaped her lips causing a slight panic to build in the newest club member. Unsure about how to proceed, Eddy looked to Abe who noticed this action as well. The old man calmly brought out his left hand then placed his other hand underneath it. He then began to make small circles using his right thumb into his left palm. He then pointed to Monika's extended hand. Eddy mouthed out a "really?" with a raised eyebrow. A quick nod answered. Eddy placed the note and the book on the bed and bent forward. He lightly cradled Monika's hand with both of his. He then followed the action, applying a little pressure into the palm as he went along. Her hand felt warmer to the touch as it closed slowly over the boy's thumbs. A few minutes later the shaking and tension ended as the girl's breathing slowed down again. With a light sigh of relief, he laid her hand back down and sat back in his chair. The girl had a small smile as she nuzzled her head in subconscious contentment. Eddy smiled warmly in kind. "That's better," he spoke softly.

An inkling made him turn his attention back to his new discovery after a few moments. He grabbed the book he stuck the note to and started to read the back of it. _My head is already trying to deal with what happened earlier. I'll hold off on this for now._ He concluded placing the book back down underneath the chair, taking off the note as he went. _Now for you._ He turned the note again and again in his hand as if it were a treasure map. There was a something about it bubbling in his mind but for some reason he couldn't find words for it. Something about the handwriting. He almost pocketed the note when a realization hit him. He frantically searched his pockets for the thank you note and mentally kicked himself when he realized he wouldn't find it in different pants. _It's probably blood-soaked as well. Dammit I do not have the luck to be a detective do I?_

"Are you alright?" Abe-san whispered. Eddy turned to the man in surprise. He completely forgot he was there.

"Y-yeah why wouldn't I be?" Eddy whispered back as his face showed a little embarrassment.

The codger wasn't having any of it. "You were looking at that post-it for 10 minutes. Do you need to rest?"

"I-uh- 10 minutes? I was only looking at- did I just-" Eddy stammered looking for anything that told time. He didn't register the volume of his voice until he felt hands grab him in the side. He yelled as he was pulled out of the chair like a rag doll.

"So assertive," Abe-san commented as he watched Monika lift the hapless boy, drop him on the bed like a lead weight, then started spooning with him. "And it's amazing that her severe malnutrition didn't affect her strength at all. This is going into the notes."

"Abe," Eddy spoke out as the little spoon. Internally he was enjoying this situation very much. But it looked pretty sketch so he needed confirmation. "Are we going to get banned for this? I don't know what she's doing with her hands."

"Good news, I don't think she knows what she's doing with her hands," Abe pointed out with a sweat. "Bad news, she seems sensitive to subtle movements."

"What subtle movements?" Eddy asked moving his head to look up at the man. Monika made a soft moan and immediately pressed her prisoner harder against her and held him there like a vice with her arms around his waist.

"That," the old man replied with a light cackle. He then started rapidly scratching his pad with his ballpoint pen.

"Why are you writing about this?" Eddy asked a little angry and very out of breath. "You getting your rocks off?"

"I wanted to know how people act during the first day of Epiphany treatment. I didn't expect this much cognitive complexity to remain intact," Abe remarked.

"What do you mean you wanted to know?"

"I don't really have a grasp on how Black Box works yet so I'm making observations now while the iron is hot so to speak," the man smirked. "Also knowing how people act in certain situations allows me to help them better with their problems should they ever need it."

"You a doctor Old Man?" Eddy raised an eyebrow.

"I have the degrees of a doctor, but I see myself as more of a willing student than a professional," Abe said. "A useful philosophy to have when you work with the things I work with."

"I don't think she's letting me go is she?" Eddy asked after a few minutes of ineffective wiggling. He felt his captor start to doze off, content by this arrangement he figured based on soft giggles being made by her.

"If you want to rest, now would be a good time for it," Abe answered with a laugh.

"Why do I feel like you're setting me up?" Eddy asked. He did feel fatigued. He couldn't figure out if it was because of the warm softness he felt from the girl on his back or the residual effects of bloodloss both from his injuries and his thoughts.

"Ehheh! I choose to think of this as a gesture of good will, after what you two went through yesterday it makes a little sense for something like this to happen," Abe laughed. "And the fact that she did it of her own free will is a sign she must think really highly of you."

 _Yeah but why? All I did was-_ Eddy stopped his train of thought. _Come to think of it, he's probably right. At least Sayori has Sado to fall back on for support. The others have family and jobs. If what I think about that note is true. Who does she have outside the club? Epiphany and a bunch of bought flowers._

"She does seem happy now I admit," Eddy resolved. He could feel Monika's heartbeat and he felt his own start to sync with it. He drowsily looked at Abe. "Will you wake me up if someone comes? I don't want to have to explain."

"They run calibrations for the box in an hour and a half, I'll take you back to your house then," Abe nodded. "School doesn't let out until 30 minutes after that so we won't run into more suitors."

"T-thanks Abe," Eddy said as he started to allow the ambiance of the room to lull him. He scooted up to the pillow supporting the head of his president and laid his on it as well.

"Have a good nap you two," Abe cooed as he came to the bed and pulled a blanket that was bunched up on the side over the two teens. 15 minutes later the boy was out like a light. Eddy was able to sleep soundly. Monika was finally able to sleep.


	16. Day 4: Evening

A small coffeehouse bustles with the after-work rush as Sarah pressed keys on a gray laptop in the corner. Small lines of seemly incoherent writing crossed her eyes as she heard Jimmy return to her subconscious. "You're going to get wrinkles with your face scrunched up like that," Jimmy laughed.

"Can't talk like this," Sarah whispered as she eyed the green apron wearing baristas as they darted to and fro behind the counter. The crowd they were accommodating consisting of a mix of businessman and young adults.

"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you during work hours," Jimmy excused himself. Sarah was more surprised she could hear him over the conversations in the shop than bothered. "I just need to warn you about something. I think you're being watched now."

Sarah looked up slightly with a brief look of paranoia. She scanned her eyes around the shop but didn't find anyone that looked out of place. What she did see was an unfortunate high school girl in a red bow and a blue scarf trip over a table leg. The girl fell and face-planted onto the tile floor. As soon as it happened she was helped up by a short thin girl with pink hair, red ribbons, and a loud childish voice. With nothing appearing completely out of the ordinary, Sarah pulled out a small earpiece from a pocket in her laptop bag and placed it in her ear. "What makes you say that?" she spoke normally.

"I was contacted by that Ino guy you were talking to yesterday, apparently the good doctor sent a few people to tail you last night," Jimmy was miffed. "What did you say when you met him?"

 _I guess that was to be expected. He seemed too trusting._ Sarah shivered. "I told them the truth Jimmy, but I guess that truth is a little hard to prove with nothing but my word. How did he get your number?"

"I don't know, I get a call during my morning exercise and a deep voice on the other end just says "Hey Jimmy, can we talk?" and it didn't seem appropriate to ask him," Jimmy's voice wavered. "Sarah, I don't like where this is going."

"I have nothing to hide. When he finds that out he will stop the surveillance," Sarah cooed. She then gave out a cocky smile. "And if the doctor does want to throw down I bet I can take whatever he can dish out."

"Let's not test that theory shall we?" Jimmy asked immediately taking the wind out of the woman's day-dreaming sails.

"What did Doggie say?" Sarah pouted as she pulled a nearly empty cup of Americano to her mouth.

"Because of some developments that happened a few days ago Eddy gained a couple of new friends," Jimmy sounded relieved. "Also it turns out the town may be indebted to him now."

"Oh?" Sarah was surprised by this news. "How so?"

"He may have had a hand in ended this- Second Week I guess it's called," Jimmy replied. "Ino said it's a big thing with the higher ups."

Sarah held off on her typing and pulled a file up. Pictures of Abe's record filled the screen. "It sounds like a big deal in the notes. Wonder how he was able to swing that."

"Based on what Ino briefly said about it, Second Week sounds like Endless Summer back home," Jimmy recalled softly. Sarah looked down and closed her eyes. The name hung in the air like a ghost as the two allowed any further inquiries in the matter to grind to a halt. Sarah slowly pulled out of her reverie and went back to her easel. She had to allow the smell of bean brewing and decorum to guide her focus away from those painful memories. After a while Jimmy changed the subject, "It's nice to hear you acting more like yourself again. All things considering."

"Thanks, the rest really helped," Sarah said pulling a couple stray hairs back behind her ear. Her curiosity brought the call back to the forefront again. "Was there anything else?"

"He wanted me to ask you if an Oliver McGee rings a bell. Does it?"

"Eddy's uncle? I've seen him during the holidays. Why?"

"Ino said there was a message addressed to "Sarah". He was wondering if Oliver meant to give it to you."

The woman rose an eyebrow to this. "Did he say what it's about?"

"He didn't say much, just that it was what he dubbed "high concept", like consciousness and reincarnation, stuff like that."

"That definitely sounds like him. Don't know what that has to do with me though," Sarah shook her head. It was then that she started noticing the girl with the blue scarf in the corner of her eye. Notably that she was making long stares at her from across the shop. She was also writing small things in a notepad. A quick cursory glance around showed that no one sat near enough to make Sarah believe this was just a coincidence. Sarah's paranoia had a focal point now. "Hold on."

Jimmy fell silent as Sarah pulled off her headset. She looked at the girl in the blue scarf closely. A few moments later the girl's sky blue eyes met Sarah's green. The girl yelped as Sarah's eyes turned into a glare and she rose out of her chair. _"Oh no, she found out!"_ Sarah heard the girl exclaim in her native tongue.

 _" I told you to stop doing that!"_ squeaked the pink haired girl sitting across from blue scarf. A mixture of anger and fear was in her voice. Steam puffed out of Sarah as she started walking to them. _"It's bad enough you're still wearing that scarf in weather like this."_

 _"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm new to all this,"_ The coral-pink haired girl whined. _"And she looks so pretty. I always wanted to get my hair as silky as that."_

 _"And now we're boned,"_ The pink girl held her head in her hands. _"Hopefully she's like Rookie and can't understand Japanese. Maybe we can salvage this if we-"_

 _"I do and you won't,"_ Sarah replied with an angry leer. Despite only being about 5' her presence towered over the perpetrators. If they weren't in a crowded shop, the two girls would of screamed bloody murder. Sarah softened her face when she saw the bandages on the scarfed girl's hands and around the pink girl's legs. Then with a brief look of shame, the woman turned away from the girl's shocked expressions and walked past their booth. She then sighed and looked back at the scarfed girl. _"Thank you, I like your hair too."_ Sarah saw the pink girl as she attempted to hide her embarrassment behind a scowl. The girl in the scarf had a little red in her cheeks.

 _"Thank you,"_ The blue scarf girl murmured looking down with a bashful smile. Sarah left the two and got in line for another cup. The girls fled by the time the order was done. With new fuel for the furnace Sarah plopped down at her work table and placed more directions into the terminal.

"Sorry about that, what were you saying?" The woman returned to her conversation as she placed the receiver back in her ear. A small pause was what greeted her. "What?"

"What did you do to them?" Jimmy asked with subdued annoyance.

"I didn't know what you're talking about, I don't fight children," Sarah defended. Jimmy was about to object but he was interrupted. "And even if I did a couple of times before, they looked like they dealt with enough already so I wasn't going to make their day worse."

"You didn't want to get kicked out," Jimmy corrected. Sarah hung her head a few moments later than shuffled back into her work. She didn't want to argue and Jimmy had evidence from past experiences to back up his theory.

"Where were we at before?" She asked after a few new lines were added to the 5 hr old monstrosity she was creating in her computer.

"That message I believe," Her overseer recalled. Sarah picked up a sense of melancholy in his voice. "Maybe if we see it that will lead us to learning more about this Second Week thing. Who knows maybe it will give us some insight into why Eddy ended up here?"

"It's worth a shot," Sarah agreed over her clacking. "Maybe I should get in contact with Oliver when I can. Is he in town as well?"

"I- was afraid you would suggest that," Jimmy spoke solemnly. "I don't really know how to say this softly so I'm just going to spit it out. Oliver- was murdered a couple days ago."

Sarah turned away from her laptop. "Wh-what?"

"No one really knows the full story, " Jimmy said sadly. "There's radio transmissions about the incident but they became classified by the town council, no one is allowed access to them."

Sarah sat in silence as she struggled internally to not start crying. She wanted to ask if there was going to be a funeral, but knowing the briefing Jimmy gave her it would have been viewed as a pointless endeavor. Death and Legacy wasn't viewed the same way as it did everywhere else.

People don't die, they're just **removed**.

"Is there anyone left?" Sarah asked as the wick to the stockpile was lit.

"Sarah," Jimmy knew where this was going but he tried to stop it anyway.

"He saves them and this is how he's rewarded?" Sarah was too lost in her anger to listen.

"Sarah we're not in Peach Creek anymore, it won't end like that," Jimmy pleaded. "Please don't do anything rash."

"I-I have to see him, make sure he's ok, no meetings, no spying, no bullshit," Sarah seethed as hot tears graced her cheeks. She closed her laptop. "I'm doing it tonight, the hell with it." She packed up her belongings and headed out.

On the way she passed a tall purple haired girl sitting in a booth nearby. The girl's eyes were in a book with an sinister eye on the cover. She knew the book by heart so she only needed to look like she was reading. She watched the woman leave then lowered her head as a powerful guilt washed over her. She figured if the woman didn't scare them off, her friends would probably have felt the same. She started to nervously fiddle with her hair as she tried to contemplate what to do with this new development.

 _No..._

 _I already lied to him, I have to help in some way._

She sighed and placed a closed hand on her chest to try to control her nerves. With a nod of internal confirmation, she got up and exited the shop.

 **Black Box Society** Day 4: Evening

...

 _"Yeah, sorry about that. Keep forgetting it's still night there."_

 _-_ _We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected.-_

 _"I'm still trying to get my way around. It's kind of hard to explain."_

- _We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected.-_

 _"No Ed I'm not going to be a samurai. And can you get any closer to the mic? I don't think they can hear you on Mars!"_

- _We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected.-_

...

"Abe-san, I know you were very serious when you said you were taking me home," Eddy said groggily as he looked up through the back window of a very new looking car. He was sprawled out in the back seat at an odd angle. "But you could of woke me up first! I didn't ask to be given a piggy-back ride through the substation by a mad scientist!"

Abe-san laughed. "Take heart in the fact that no one thought it was suspicious. One nurse even said you looked adorable when she saw you sleeping on my back."

"Ok you think that helps, but that really doesn't," Eddy answered mortified. "That just tells me that if I get abducted I will at least look cute during it."

"It was unnecessary you have to admit," a teenage girl's voice startled Eddy into a more alert state. He watched the old man wave off what he was going to say in response then looked at who was driving. A girl with raven haired locks and amber eyes behind black wire-framed glasses glared at Abe in an annoyed huff. "You already do questionable things around town, the last thing you need is everyone thinking you're stealing children on top of it."

"That's the beauty of being as old as I am Eri," Abe smirked. "What appears to be creepy for someone younger than me to do becomes endearing when I do it. Me and Edi-oun can pass off as family and the ages fit so for all they know, I'm just a loving grandpa making sure my grandson gets home safe."

"Again, not helping," Eri and Eddy spoke in unison.

"You guys sound like Doggy," Abe grumbled. He sighed. "Alright, I won't do it again. I'll drag bad kids by the feet to my shack at Christmas time like I'm supposed to."

"I hate that rumor," Eri looked away. She shook her head then changed the subject. "It's nice we get to meet like this McGee-san, sorry about the transition."

"As long as I get a book deal after this, I'm all for it," Eddy joked getting up in his seat. He looked around the car's cabin. The interior was clean with a white leather upholstery on the seats, a polished wood-like lining on the doors and around the dashboard, and what wasn't covered by the two had a shiny chrome finish. Eddy got back on track. "You sound familiar though didn't we meet last night?"

"Well-" Eri seemed uncertain about her response. "I tried helping when you had your- memory problem last night. If- that's what you mean."

Eddy looked down trying to hide his embarrassment. "Oh right, that. Look I- I didn't mean to freak you guys out. I don't know what happened there."

"I think Kei-On did something he wasn't supposed to," Abe cracked his knuckles as he glared out the window. "Not that it matters though, whatever you saw involving Yuri didn't happen."

"Abe-san, we can't just ignore what happens during Second Week," Eri spoke pensively.

"Second Week?" Eddy interjected.

"Don't ask," Abe growled. "And it doesn't matter what happens during Second Week, we're not in Second Week. So in theory it doesn't exist anymore, can we change the subject?"

"What's with the attitude all of a sudden?" Eddy asked getting chaffed.

"McGee-san," Eri spoke softly. "I'll tell you later alright? It's a very touchy subject and I don't- want tempers to flare in here."

The apprehensiveness of the driver's voice made Eddy back off. It was obvious he wasn't going to go anywhere if he continued the conversation. A ringtone breaks the awkward silence, with a huff of annoyance Abe pulled out a flip-phone and looked at the number. His foul mood morphed into one of curiosity.

"Who is it?" Eri asked a little surprised at the man's change.

"Not quite sure," Abe chirped before placing the phone to his ear. "Moshi-moshi."

After a few minutes of witnessing the old man converse angrily in Japanese to whoever was at the other end, Eddy chirped. "Dare I ask?"

"I wouldn't," Eri sunk in her seat uncomfortably. "He's not- saying appropriate things I should say."

The next few miles was very much the same awkwardness until Abe hung up his phone in disgust. He rubbed his face and gave his summary of the call. "Doggie fired the scheduler, sorry about that."

"Was that Asaki-san on the other end?" Eri asked warily.

"What? No, that was the scheduler. Guy thought he could strongarm me into overruling the order," Abe grumbled. "If he actually wanted to go toe-to-toe with me that would be the best day of my life."

"What caused him to get canned?" Eddy asked.

"He scheduled Puppy alone with Doggie's fireworks that's what happened, she mistook the timing on the wicks and the explosion sent her flying," Abe saw the fear rising in his co-riders and immediately corralled it. " She's fine, don't worry. She had to use Doggie's Render Mask to accelerate her healing but she is right as rain now. Doggie gave me the confirmation a while ago."

"Are you sure she's alright?" Eddy asked still very petrified.

"If she wasn't, that pissant's address wouldn't of made it past noon," Abe's voice may as well have dropped the temperature in the car by 30 degrees. A few moments later he sighed slowly in regret as he rubbed his forearms. "I need to meditate. Eri, there's a convenience store up ahead, just, go ahead and drop me off there. I can make it the rest of the way."

"Are you sure?" Eri asked her voice painted in worry. "We're not too far, I can take you the rest of the way."

"Yeah, I need to calm down. I heard the sound of rain is good for that," Abe answered with a light cackle to himself. He pulled out his wallet as a white storefront came by. The car pulled over just past it. He pulled out a few 1000 yen notes and handed it out to the driver. "Here, this should cover your gas."

"Abe you're family. You don't have to pay me back for helping family," Eri replied. "This isn't even my car anyway."

"I insist, you are missing your club to help me out. I have to give something in return for the trouble I'm causing," Abe glanced at Eddy. "You may want to feed him with it anyway. He looks like he's having an existential crisis."

"Uh, Abe let me ask you something," The gears were turning in Eddy's head as we spoke. "You know Ino more than I do, does he read manga by chance?"

The old man pondered for a moment. "Whenever I see Doggie reading anything, it's usually just magazines and cheap comic books, he usually doesn't bother with anything else. Why do you ask?"

"And did you two come to the hospital together?" Eddy's face was turning red.

"No, he was still sleeping when I left. He was up for three days carving stones for some reason. Where are you going-" And that's when it hit him. "Oh, oh! AHAHAHA!"

"What's so funny?" Eri was interested watching Abe lose it. Eddy moved a palm to his face. A few mental connections later she figured it out as well. Her face became flushed and she looked down as a small mischievous smile appeared. Her voice became sultry. "Oh Nejima-chan, I didn't know you were into that as well. _Good choice too._ "

"Did "Doggie" offer to give you a sponge bath?" Abe asked the kid who was on his side in the fetal position. Eri nearly swooned as steam bellowed out of her.

"Begone demons! You ain't welcome in this land!" Eddy yelled angrily in response. He rose up again and crossed his arms.

"Ah~ that's fantastic!" Abe exclaimed as he calmed down. He opened his car door. "Thanks for the ride Eri. Edi-oun congrats on your third letter, and- thank you for that." Abe cackled and left the car.

"Wasn't for you to get your jollies, but whatever," Eddy grumbled watching the codger walk out of sight. He then noticed Eri lightly smiling at him. He felt a little self-conscious. "What?"

"Have you ever had Ramen before?" Eri asked starting the car again.

"I had the instants before," Eddy relaxed a bit. "Not the authentic stuff. Why?"

"I want to change that. There's a shop near here that I go to all the time," Eri beamed as she pulled away from the curb. "That is if you want to go that is."

"I'm pretty much open for anything at this point," Eddy leaned back. _Not even going to ask why at this point. The wind can blow my feather ass into an open flame for all I care. I just want some semblance of an answer to what the hell is going on in this town._

"Great, because we're already here," Eri laughed.

"What?!" Eddy looked out the window, the shop was only three stores down from where they stopped last time. "Why didn't we just walk here?"

"It- would have been awkward if you said no," Eri shrunk in her seat. Eddy conceded.

…

"So what is Abe's connection to Yuri anyway?" Eddy piped up as two large bowls of noodles, veggies, and fish were placed on the table. "Are they related?"

"Before I answer I want to make sure I'm not repeating things you already know," Eri smiled as she split apart her chopsticks. "Do you know anything about the Mentor program?"

Eddy raised an eyebrow. "It does seem familiar, Obe talked about something like that just after I became coherent. He didn't get into details," He then slumped. "That seems to be a pattern now that I think about it. So I guess Abe is Yuri's mentor, whatever that is?"

Eri nodded. "A mentor in her case is someone that has a deep connection to their ward. The mentor uses this connection to help wards acclimate to raised standards."

"You mean like RMIN standards? Why would they need to get used to work benefits?"

"There's more to it than that," Eri shook her head as she slurped up a braid of her noodles.

"Oh, here we go," Eddy smirked as he picked up a fish cake. "I knew the dog was holding out- on- me." He drooped his head and slammed down his sticks. "How was Boss able to turn into Ino? I need to know that now."

"Do you- want the short or the long version of it," Eri looked around the shop and found no one nearby. She pushed her glasses up her nose as a focus entered her mannerisms.

"I'll take the short version," The cake was bit.

"Ino Asaki-Nejima and Yoshitake Abe both died years ago," Eri glasses caught the light as her inspector voice crept out. Eddy spat out his catch.

"Long version please!" Eddy yelled after he dropped his fish pieces into the salty broth with a cough.

"Sorry, that was not intended to sound so crass," Eri lowered her head apologetically. "I sometimes forget I'm not addressing news to the Mill."

"No, that wasn't you. I was not prepared for that bombshell to come out so easily," The kid spat out as he recovered.

"It's not- really a secret, a quick search of the records would prove that their original addresses are lost, it also says- how they lost them," Eri looked extremely uncomfortable. "What we are working with is- actors wearing specialized Render Masks that contains all their information like their personality, abilities, memories, and the appearance they had at the time they were chosen for the Mentor program."

"So, let's say that I get that mask and put it on, do I become Abe-san?" Eddy's shock wore off into interest.

"More like you will become an actor playing the part of Abe-san, all compatible hosts can play the part but it won't be a 1 to 1 performance with another host. That's why you were able to tell the difference," Eri remarked than gave a giggle. "I'm actually impressed Nejima-chan was able to handle the transition a Mentor Mask forces upon its wearer. From what I heard from articles on the subject, it causes a great strain on the mind and body the first time it happens."

"Boss said batter has to go through a raging fire to become bread after all," Eddy smirked. _At least_ _I think that's what she said._

"She took that saying from something didn't she?" Eri smirked back.

"If she did, I don't know where," Eddy lowered his head and started eating again. The ravenette smiled.

10 minutes of banal conversation and noodle consumption passed before Eddy perked up again, "So tell me more about this RMIN Standard thing, I guess there's a double meaning in it?"

"There is," Eri nodded nearing the end of her bowl. "It's also the reason why no one is able to talk about high concept topics without the risk of developing Epiphany."

"For real?" Eddy raised an eyebrow.

"The RMIN Standard is a set of allowances that the Advisory Board gives out to people if they feel they can handle the burden of leaving what they know behind, it sounds simple but if it really was everyone would get it," Eri pushed up her glasses.

"The standard makes people smarter?"

"Well, yes and no, it- makes people more aware of their surroundings. Like- being more aware that there is a Second Week and-" Eri looked down nervously. "Knowing there's a difference between- you and me."

"Why are you acting coy all of a sudden?"

"I- i'm trying to explain it but the only way to really get it across is to l-let you hear it," Eri fidgeted. "M-my heart."

"I have an idea where this is going but I really don't want to get my ass kicked," Eddy muttered. He briefly glanced at Eri's modest D-cup posture.

"I-i don't want that either, but I can't explain it if I just say it out loud. I tried that but the people I was with didn't know what I was talking about," Eri explained as her face became flushed. "And worse than that it can cause Epiphany in people with only standard 2 if it's spoken out loud as well."

"This disease is crazy! How the hell is anyone supposed to talk if it just develops willy-nilly in people passing by?" Eddy fumed.

"Welcome to Palisade Town," Eri greeted with a sad smile. A few minutes later a waitress took their empty bowls and with the use of Abe's generosity they left the shop and went to the car. Eri went into the backseat first which made Eddy start to sweat.

"You want to do that now?" Eddy asked leaning in.

"It's- better to just rip the band-aid off all at once," Eri replied unbuttoning her blazer. She then shuddered. "Pun not intended."

"I'll ignore it," Eddy stammered as his upperclassman pulled her orange vest over her head. He entered the car and closed the door behind him. He noticed the smell of sunflowers as he gazed at the girl patting down her white button-down shirt.

"I-I'm ready if you are," Eri's face turned determined as she leaned back against the door and puffed out her chest.

 _I did say I wanted answers..._ Eddy train of thought ceased as he draped his arms around Eri and slowly rested the side of his head on her chest. Eri wrapped her arms around him in affirmation and he closed his eyes. A few moments passed until he slowly opened them again. "I don't hear anything."

"That's- because you are more aware now," He heard the girl explain. There was a soft almost affectionate tone in her voice. "If you didn't have your third letter you would of heard a heartbeat."

"And why is that?" Eddy looked up into the girl's dark orange eyes.

"A real heartbeat divides the two types of people who live here, the File-less: Those that don't have one, and the Doki: those that do. Because I'm a File-less I'm considered less "important" to the powers that be than those that have them. Those that advance from Standards 2 to 3 has to come to terms with this to understand anything about the problems the Rumor Mill tries to alleviate. And not many people can handle this knowledge when they first get exposed to it. This is what caused you to have problems last night," Eri explained.

"How so?"

"If what you remembered last night is true, you were forced to prepare my cousin's body for something," Eri held the kid closer as she felt him shiver. "If she was like me, she would of just disappeared when she died and there wouldn't of been anything left behind to prepare. And if she didn't make a Final Recording, no one would even remember her."

"Why do you sound- calm about Yuri death like that?" Eddy eyes narrowed. "I can't even manage a memory, and I prided myself as a man of the world."

"Yuri- passes away at the end of Second Week, every- single- time," Eri's breathed slowly as she explained. "I tried to prevent it, so many times, but all that ever did was make my remaining time with her miserable for both of us. And because I was aware, I had to watch the degradation of her mental state first hand again and again. Eventually- it made me hurt too much to continue trying to postpone what I thought was the inevitable. The only way I was able to deal with my ineptitude was to just push through to First Week, then I was able to forget all that for a little while until Second Week came again."

"How did you figure out all this anyway?"

"Abe and Kei-On," Eri nuzzled her chin on Eddy's scalp. "They used to keep really accurate notes."

"Used to?"

"That's- really something you have to talk to Abe about, all I know is that there was a falling out between them recently. And that was before what happened at Stormcha-" Eri hesitated when she felt Eddy tense up. She lowered her eyes in regret. "My sincerest apologies, I had no right to bring that up."

"I'm just- surprised you are the first to bring it up," Eddy rose his head to rest on Eri's pillows again. "Though I guess everyone else thought I was going to the festival to distract myself so they didn't- talk about it."

"Was that your intention?"

"I- don't really know honestly, I feel like a heel saying this, but I feel like I cared more about what happened to someone I just met. Over a member of my family who allowed me to move into their house and helped me for weeks while I dealt with this box thing," Eddy said. "It's really freaking me out right now."

"That sadly, is a very common feeling here," Eri felt droplets pelt her shirt followed by feeling Eddy unravel himself from their embrace. "McGee-san?"

"Sorry," Eddy mumbled covering his eyes with his arm in a vain attempt to hide the water forming. His voice and his breathing started betraying him as well. "I-i'm usually more- in control than this."

"You're mourning," Eri replied in a nurturing voice. "It's alright. You don't need to be strong around me."

"I-it's just that it's n-not fair," The boy murmured.

"What?"

"It ain't fair!" Eddy roared shaking like a leaf. "I save the only family that fucker had and he Old Yellers the only family I have, how the fuck is that fair?!

"McGee-san," Eri tried to console but it didn't get through.

"Obe told me beautiful stories about this place! Those stories gave me a way out when times were rough back home! And now that I'm out there is no swashbuckling, no beating up street thugs, no giant monster battles, it was all a lie! Just like everything else I was told by the people I looked up to!" The tears were unhindered now. "Since I got here there's nothing but death, disease, weird monsters that look like my new friends and worst of all. All the numbers I tried to call home lead to nowhere, I can't call my friends! I can't call my folks! And now because of this awareness I know now I never could before either!"

The ramifications surrounding that statement shook the Rasputin to her core.

Eddy doubled over as his anger bellowed out of him like a broken pipe. "I don't know how I came here, and I don't know if I will ever get back. What the hell did I gain with this new level if it meant for me to lose everything?"

Eri glasses shined as she slowly lowered the Ed-boy's head into her lap. She held him like this for a while, tenderly petting the back of his head as he sobbed into her abdomen. Eventually Eddy was able to calm down enough to hear Eri speak again. "I'm so sorry, McGee-san. I had no idea you were dealing with so much."

"I feel like a sissy," Eddy murmured sadly.

"McGee-san," Eri spoke softly. "Please don't say that. You need to do this if you are ever going to heal."

"But all I'm doing now is holding up the plot," Eddy whimpered.

The Rasputin's eyes narrowed as she breathed deeply. "Do you want to have the rest of this conversation in private then?"

Eddy felt a strange shift in the atmosphere. He didn't know if it was curiosity or a sincere desire for help that drove him to nod in agreement. Either way he nuzzled into the girl's navel and gave the OK.

Wordlessly, Eri's eyes glowed-

_ CONFIDENTIALITY LINK ESTABLISHED_

_FURTHER RECORDING IS POSTPONED UNTIL RASPUTIN AUTHORIZATION_


	17. Day -6 Alternate Perspective

A deep shock jumps through my body and I sputter loudly. I force my eyes open and I'm met by the same scene I left behind. A ceiling fan slowly moving its fins through the darkness. I try to move my arms and legs, but I think I woke up too fast. Settling into myself the realization of the minutes before hits me like a truck.

I was kicked out of Moniker.

He's still at the school.

I have to get back in.

I close my eyes and the small transparent box returns to the corner of my vision.

 **os\\.override(XXXXXXX)  
** **Override password: *******  
** **…  
** **…  
** **…  
** **Override blocked by address.**

What? That's- not supposed to happen. No one at Standard 2 is capable of that.

Well technically a Standard 2 shouldn't be able to do what I'm doing now that I think of it.

Wait, does- she know what's happening now?

I panic and shut my eyes again. I try to connect and-

 **os\\.override(XXXXXXX)  
** **Override password: *******  
** **…  
** **…  
** **…  
** **Override blocked by address.**

Keichi: "Shit!"

…

I mumble an apology to _Sayori_ and with a sigh I try again.

 **os\\.override(XXXXXXX)  
** **Override password: *******  
** **…  
** **…  
** **…  
** **Override blocked by address.**

No, don't do this to me now! I was so close to seeing my revenge reach it's end!

I try one more time.

os\\.override(XXXXXXX)

Override password: *******

Override blocked by address.

It didn't even bother to process that time. I feel my heart beating out of my chest now. In a frenzy I send the box away and force my eyes open again. I shake my limbs to check for chills. There are none much to my relief. I can't risk anything to troubleshoot the method now. It is too late and I am very fortunate to be able to get away with what I have done already. Even saying that I can't help but feel a little closure in my actions. If she doesn't know what I'm capable of before, the shakes will show her differently. AT least I know for sure that happened before the boot.

Messaging my temples I leave Sayori's empty room and start descending the stairs. A murmur from behind pulls my attention.

Man: "You finished your peepshow already?"

Hell of a time to forget I had guests.

I look back.

Keichi: I'm surprised you're still awake Ruto.

A bundle of faded pink shakes back and forth as an empty six pack of glass bottles dangles off the banister.

Ruto: "I need more than this cheap shit to sleep. Is the bitch dead or what?"

I grab the carton with my free hand.

K: "She drank them, that's all I know."

Ruto removes his hand from the carton's handle with a deep laugh.

R: "Too much for you to see the result I take it?"

The bottles clink together as I balance the thin cardboard on my palm. I give a glare but I believe he didn't see it in the darkness.

K: "Something kicked me out before it took."

R: "Well the gaijin's dead for sure now. Let's make breakfast."

A drunk's commentary is the last thing I need right now. I head down the stairs and walk to the kitchen. Ruto follows me and as I throw away the bottles he starts ruffling through my fridge for more fuel.

K: "At least pretend to care about what's going on."

Ruto emits a scoff and pulls himself out of the fridge with a sealed bottle of orange juice.

R: "Look, relax will ya? I'm kidding. The seeds are fast-acting so even if the kid's in danger the removal process will take longer than the time the girl has left to live anyway."

Ruto's nonchalant demeanor does little to soothe my growing unease. Neither does watching him chug a quart of juice in under a minute make me any less regretful letting this man barge into my house. If it wasn't for his daughter, I would not have allowed him to hide here for so long. He continues with a light burp.

R: "If it makes you feel better we could just head up to Kokoro, grab the kid, and put him back before anyone finds out whats going on."

I shake my head. He makes it sound too easy.

K: "Is there even any time left for that?"

R: "You tell me, you're the one whose been here before."

As much as I don't want to admit it, there's probably no other way around this. There is no way to explain away why a near-mute student would be running around a school in the dead of night. Let alone the night before all hell breaks loose. I'm incredibly fortunate with everything leading up to here, might as well push it to the zenith.

At least if I get removed I would know I was doing what was good for everyone.

K: "The morning crew begins their rounds in an hour. We have time but we need to be quick."

R: "There you go boy scout. I'll drive."

He got up from the table. He makes a quick survey of himself. I can tell he is thinking the same thing I am as he looks around. He shakes his head and fixes his glassy eyes on me.

R: "...you drive."

 **Black Box Society** **: Alternate Perspective**

 **-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-**

 **-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-**

R: "Damn, the void took over the highway. We need to go the Eastern route this time."

I grit my teeth as the bright white shines through the sunrise drenched scenery around it. The edges of the void burning the asphalt around it in a black smoke as it starts to cut through the bridge underneath.

K: "Well that choked more of our time didn't it."

I can't focus on the ramifications now. There's cars around of us.

...There were cars around us.

I make a quick prayer for the lost and double back. The truck making squealing noises as I swerve around the growing puddles. The memories of the what just happened have already left Ruto by the time I got off the nearby exit.

I wish I was so lucky. My now rapid heart rate would be better off for it.

…

…

…

I briefly check the clock at a stoplight after the Eastern Strand exit. 25 minutes remaining. A small vibration peaks the interest of my passenger in the back seat. I hear him rise back up in the back seat with a yawn. He rubs his face and turns my direction with a bright smile on his face.

R: "I told you my brother's coming back right?"

K: "Yeah, why?"

R: "They finally found a host. And you would never guess who it is."

K: "Try me."

R: " The Veilreich Ambassador of all people."

That sounds like a joke. Much like the upside down palm trees sliding across the shoreline while a swath of people looks on in awe on my right. I look away from the sight. The light turns green and squawks like a seagull. I move forward.

K: "How did you find that out?"

R: "Just got the confirmation notice from the board. The Nejima Zaibatsu is back baby! Woo!"

I can't stop myself.

K: "The one you're not a part of?"

R: "Not important. Having a very powerful leader hosting my big brother and ending Second Week will be more than enough to have those tightwads let me back into the family."

And- here we go.

R: "Gahaha! I can almost see it now! Top shelf Sake, Business trips and gambling sprees in Macau, and all the beautiful women clamoring for my charms. Natsuki will have a second mother by the end of the year there will be so many options. Gaha!"

K: " Don't throw your daughter in to make you less greedy. I know you did that to make yourself look better."

He glares at me.

R: "That right there is the reason you live alone Kei-On, you're too assuming that people are evil. Everything I do has Natsuki's well-being in mind. That's why I gave you the golden flower seeds in the first place."

K: "I bought them."

R: "Fine, I "delivered" them to you, Mr. Pedantic. The point still stands."

I'm not contributing to this conversation anymore. Ruto lays down again with a scoff. The trip continues in silence.

10 minutes later the Academy comes into view. Ruto pipes up again.

R: "Why are you working?"

K: "What?"

R: "You're rich too, why are you working for these mooks anyway?"

K: "Not everything revolves around money. Some of us work for more fulfilling reasons."

Ruto just shakes his head and I drive into the parking structure. Heading up the ramp to the second level, I pause as three figures stand at the opposite end of the aisle. As I look forward I notice them and my heart sinks into my gut.

Obe-ni, Abe-san, and-

Oh goddamn it.

Between my friends is Takeshi. He is completely disheveled and exhausted. Barely standing with his hands tied behind him and his mouth taped up. The look of my friends tell more. Abe-san's right hand holding Sado's head with a purple clip on the sleeve of his yukata. And Obe-ni with the girl's hair ribbon around his right bicep and a-

Is...

Is that a magnum?

The stout man spots me and waves causing the teen between him and Abe to flinch.

Obe: "Hey Kei-On!"

He sounds jolly.

That's usually not a good sign in Second Week.

I pull over to a nearby spot and put the car into park.

R: "Busted."

K: "Let me do the talking."

Leaving the car I'm struck by the cool morning wind as it blew through the columns of the structure. The sky a bright shade of blue with only small wispy clouds. Ruto clambers out of the car after me and falls to the asphalt.

I cautiously draw near as Abe walks past me without even a glance. Sado drops to his knees and makes a soft whimpering noise. Knowing Oliver, he probably would want me to notice that. I'm not giving him the satisfaction.

I just need to act natural and maybe I can de-escalate whatever he's planning.

K: "Hey Olly- what's going on?"

O: "Just waiting for a phone call. You look like you've been busy lately."

A phone call?

From who, everyone he calls is already here.

And I can't tell if he's baiting me with that observation. Either way I can work with this.

K: "Heh well. Construction is always booming this time of year."

O: "I bet it is. I didn't hear from you all week. I thought something happened."

O: ***I know you're here Yousuke**

K: "Oh, you know me. Always having my nose to the grindstone."

Obe and I laugh lightly. I feel a chill go down my spine. Something about his eyes felt off just then.

K: "You seem more chipper than usual."

O: "Yes well, I have a plus one again."

K: "Really? Didn't expect you to start dating again so soon."

I see Obe's left hand clench into a fist. Yes, piss off the one with the gun. That will help matters.

O: "That was probably a bad choice of words. What I mean to say is. My nephew has come to live with me. I was going to introduce you to him today."

O: ***But it seems you've met him already.**

His eyes flash again. A bright emerald light. Absentmindedly I mutter the only thing I'm thinking about.

K: "What the hell's going on here?"

He didn't seem to hear me. Though to be honest it probably wouldn't change the predicament being thrust onto me. I peer back behind me and see Abe staring back from the car. Is he there in case I plan to flee? Ruto is nowhere to be seen. Not that I expect him to be much help anyway.

O: "Don't look at him, he's not there for you."

I turn back to the hostage situation just as a cell phone starts to ring.

Figures-

Olly seems reluctant to answer the phone he pulled out. But with a sigh he puts up to his ear.

He jerks it away as the sound of a man in absolute despair bellows through the phone's speakers. The sound is almost incomprehensible with the static.

Man on Phone: "Obe help! I can't- I can't wake her up! I tried everything!"

O: "Hold on -, away from the mic I can't hear you so good."

I think he said a name, but I couldn't hear him over the man's wailing.

I keep telling myself that this is good for everyone as the one-sided conversation continues.

A few minutes pass but they feel like a thousand years.

I watch Sado closely. He is crying profusely. I do not blame him. If this was my first rodeo I would have been bawling myself.

Olly and Abe-san are stone-faced.

I sadly don't blame them either.

Thousands of years in the same torturous week would make anyone turn cold.

Shaking his head, Oliver turns off the phone and pinches his nose in concentration.

O: "...Well, at least she didn't die alone in a broom closet this time."

He pulls out his gun. Then in one swift motion he pulls Sado's head back.

He lands on his back and groans.

O: "Abe! Where do I aim?"

Abe: "Between the collarbones."

Sado's eyes widened in horror. I have to intervene.

K : "Hey, hey, there's no need for whatever your planning."

O: "I think you have no right to decide that anymore."

I look at Sado one more time. I have to bite the bullet on this.

K: "If you want revenge for the girl. You should be shooting me instead. I used Override to take control of your nephew and I bought the golden flower seeds to spike her shakes. Leave the boy alone."

O: "I already know about what you did Kei-On."

K: "Wh-what?"

I- I-

O: "Ruto gave us your plan before he gave you the seeds."

His nonchalance has floored me. I'm now at the core of the planet now.

K: "B-but she-"

A: "You think she caused all of this don't you?"

I stare bewildered at the old man behind me.

A: "That explains everything. That charlatan played you like a damn fiddle."

O: "Look Keichi, if this was any other time I wouldn't even bat an eyelash to what you wanted to accomplish here. No matter how pointless and ineffectual in the grand scheme of things it is."

He aims the gun at Sado's chest.

O: "But I have a duty to protect my family if they ever showed up here. I know you know how that feels."

That's true that's why I have no choice now.

I can't stew about what Sado did or didn't do anymore. I can't let him lose his address. Sayori needs him more than he can even imagine.

I call the console.

 **os\\.material(itemRental.35690)  
** **…  
** **…  
** **Materialization authorized.**

The console disappears and I feel my handgun start to form in my palm. Without looking I aim the weapon at Oliver.

K: "I know that's why I can't- Gah!"

I yelp as what feels like small needles pierce my shoulder.

They make me flinch and fire the gun off.

The bullet glance across Obe's forehead and his body explodes in a shower of strange flat cubes.

Sado, taking the initiative stumbles awkwardly to his feet and starts to run.

Up the ramp to the higher sections of the garage.

The cubes start forming into a new form as what looks like green glass fragments were discarded from Obe's face.

I turn back as the pain in my shoulder increased.

Abe's eyes are glowing indigo behind his rose tinted glasses and he has a shit-eating grin.

A: "Since you like poison so much, I decided to share mine. Thanks for testing~."

K: "Asshole!"

I try to aim at the old man but the feeling in my right arm has disappeared. In my peripheral vision a figure a few centimeters taller than Obe starts to chase after Sado. Abe pulls out something else from his sleeve. It has me transfixed.

A small pink sphere.

Not risking turning my back on a Pink Breaker or worse. I prep my gun in my left hand.

A: "Experiment 2: Combat prowess of Pink Subclass 7."

A: " **Melody, Milk, Pout, Puppy, Kitty, Anger, Hair, Papa** "

The pink sphere illuminates in a powerful light causing a dust to kick up from the force.

I start firing without a second thought. Wildly hoping I would hit whatever Abe just unleashed.

I'm immediately slammed by two big uniform shoes in the gut. I fall backwards from the force.

Glancing up I see the culprit as she wobbles out of the dust.

The Color looks like a simple cartoon drawing of a Ruto's daughter's head only being supported by a blue skirt and tube-like legs with socks and uniform shoes. It had small pink circles for eyes, a curved line for a smile and a small triangle on the side for the fang.

K: "Wh- what the fu-"

 ***Baka**

The Color purrs cutely and tries to deliver a kick to the side of my head. I block in time but the impact sends my spiraling off to the side of the ramp.

The pain from the hit and the road rash send ripples through me. I have no time to recover however as the Color starts bounding towards me. Thinking quickly I send a few potshots at the ground near the monster's feet. She sidesteps out of the way, giving me enough time to get back to my feet. I hightail it to the aisleway above to get some distance. The Pink's footsteps and Abe's laughter following not far behind.

I pass more green shards as I run. Obe or whatever that guy is, has to be pissed that his cover's blown. A whizzing sound passes my ear and three black needles embed themselves in an exit sign. I dip into the next aisle between a van and a convertible.

A: "This all could've been avoided Onzai-san. You could have just let Second Week run it's course and no one would have needed to die."

K: "You know damn well that won't happen you monkey skeleton! Everyone we love dies, we end up back at First Week, and the whole shit-storm happens again!"

I fire blindly at the voice as I cross the aisle to another row of vehicles.

A flash of light catches my eye as the color barrels over the car roofs after me.

I fire a shot and clash of metal echoes in response. Somehow I deflected a flying knife mere meters away from me. It bounces off the asphalt in front of the truck to my left.

I don't have time to materialize munitions with everything around me.

Despite my right arm the consistency of uncooked noodles I gingerly pick up the blade and continue.

I leave the car line to the Pink sliding to my side. I send a shot in it's direction and it ducks. The bullet harmlessly flits through her hair.

How the hell is she so fast?

It responds with a babble and bum rushes into me. I bank off a motorcycle and back on my face goes I. The beeping of the bike's anti-theft and the Color's stomping on my back forces me to try a more desperate action. Appealing to a stereotype.

K: "Hey! That old man is drawing pictures of your panties!"

A brisk movement of the Color's circles must denote confusion. I spot Abe-san close by, his head in a notebook he was scratching with a pen. The Color looks too and materializes a-

pencil?

It- drew angry pink eyebrows above its eyes. How it did this with no arms is a mystery that I will ponder for a millennium.

It sends the pencil away and sends me flying up and over into a flatbed truck with an upward kick.

I spring back to life a few moment later in a slight daze. The Pink was no longer on me so I take the opportunity to bumble over the railing of the truck. My body is riddled in bruises and I can barely stand but otherwise I have an opening to the roof. Thankful for the adrenaline coursing through me by now I race up the ramp to the top level. At the top of the ramp I found a bigger clump of green glass.

It looks like a mouth of some kind. I think the guy did away with it since the rest of the mask is all over the structure. I don't have time to ruminate this as a girl's shrill yell echoes through the level behind me. I kind of feel guilty having the Pink try to fight Abe-san alone. But- at least it can have a peaceful rest now.

Abe's cold laughter jolts me back to my task. Find Sado, escape the old man and the impostor.

I reach the top of the parking garage. Bathed in the sunrise are small clusters of vehicles all in various stages of visibility.

Some of them appear to be flickering in and out of existence. Some of them are just shadows and some look unchanged. I look for any signs of life as I wander through the lot.

It was at the end of an aisle that I saw two fig-

...

S-sayori?

A girl matching Sayori's description is consoling a distraught Sado. Gently rubbing his back as he sobs uncontrollably into her white tank top. She also has black shorts and boots. Her back is turned. So either that's actually a crimson or one of Obe's tricks. I slowly move closer to investigate.

Just as I get within earshot, a siren rings out from the towers around us. The girl holds Sado tightly.

An evacuation drill?

A: "Sayori! We're out of time!"

I hear Abe yell over the siren's wailing. I turn to the old man. He doesn't even have a scratch on him. The girl turns to Abe and nods.

The face is very convincing for a ruse. Except for the black eyeballs behind her sky-blue irises.

The girl turns back to Sado and whispers something in his ear. Afterwards he slowly nods.

 **T1MuT1ZFUlJJREUoWDM3N0Q0KQ0KT1ZFUlJJREUgUEFTU1dPUkQ6ICoqKioqKioqKg0KT1ZFUlJJREUgQ09ERSBBQ0NFUFRFRCA=**

That isn't Sayori.

Sado may be easily duped but I'm not.

I need to interfere again. I raise my gun at the girl and fire a shot.

Almost simultaneously the girl thrusts Sado in front of her.

The bullet enters his chest in between the collarbones.

She wraps her arms around him as blood starts seeping out of the wound along with-

gray dust?

-ADDRESS LO- LO- LO- LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO **kidnvzdvnSIDOgnSFIlbnSXkv[lbNSiglSBNgjulsbnjlfnbjdonbdfongiogsipgjsipgjsk;bgvcxmbk;xngiSHgioSnhidfphnDFPKhndfpihjnfiphjfipghjfggsfmsdkngnegipnsdgsdngsikdngksdgnsipgneipgnEkg'nsDKG:'nsdgk'sndgieniepngIS"NGSDKgn**

…

…

…

 **Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!**

Urgh, another day in paradise. I think to myself as I silence my alarm. I slowly rise up and just sat on the side of the bed for a few minutes to get my swirling thoughts back in line. Today is a busy day, and I have to be prepared for anything that toad can dish out.

I yawn and look at the fake plants in my room when I hear a bump from outside.

Intrigued, I walk out into the hallway to a very disoriented Sayori holding her head in front of the bathroom.

K: "Running late again?"

She looks up at me startled then without saying a word she nods. Her face is painted in regret.

I just shake my head. The teacher's have already stopped caring about her attendance so why should I.

K: "Just finish what you need to do, I'll drive you over when I'm ready."

She gives a soft smile.

Sayori: "Thank you."

She heads into the bathroom and closes the door. I head back.

She probably feels like she's troubling me now. I sigh and rub my forehead.

…

Forehead-

...

The memories flood back to me.

...

I'm in First Week.

I- was able to remember the jump.

I let a big dopey grin show. I can save Sayori now. No, I can save everyone now.

Yousuke you crazy bastard you pulled it off!

I brush off my daily routine, I have a plan to make.

And- someone to regret they ever fucked with Keichi Onzai, Son of the Kaiser Chameleon.

 _May the sun give us the day again.  
_ _For the File-less.  
_ _Death to the Cicada President._

 **-PERSPECTIVE END-**


	18. Day 4 Night(Continued)

Small patches of sun broke through the clouds over the Eastern Strand. With them the rain slowed to a mild drizzle. This fortunate change nor the ambiance of the waves crashing in the small cove nearby was able to quell the anxiety Sarah had. Trying to distract herself, she looked into the dilapidated beach house behind her through the opening the occupant left without a door. Doing that made a part of her feel like the old man was basically goading thieves by doing that. Though considering the small details from the Vermin Encyclopedia Jimmy read aloud to her, she conceded that the "candy" in the bottles lining Abe's shelves may be better deterrents than anything she could think of.

Speaking of the devil, she thought it was time to let Jimmy back in. She opened her mental link. A slight static danced through her head.

"Sarah? A-are you ok?" Jimmy voiced his concern as the static faded out.

"I'm a real mess Jimmy," Sarah lowered her face to her hands. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, a lot has happened in such a short time," Jimmy paused as he tried to figure out what to say that wouldn't make her go silent again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I- just need to know. How long have we been doing this?" Sarah questioned her overseer.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Just this. What we're doing now. I can't seem to get a grip on it anymore," Sarah sat down.

Jimmy thought about this for a moment. "It has been a while hasn't it. Let's see. There was the 10 years of training, 25 years of odd-job placement, untold amount of hours of procedural paperwork. And that was before our permanent placement. Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"

"It's just that, I've been thinking. If I wasn't so absorbed in my work could I have stopped all this from happening?"

"There was no way we could have known how bad Eddy's mental condition was. I believe the last thing he wants is you blaming yourself," Jimmy consoled as Sarah laid back on the water damaged stoop. She winced as the hardness of the wood pushed against her still tender back muscles.

"I try to think that, but I can't help feeling that if I was around him more I would of seen the signs better. Instead of sliding into new places like a vagrant every chance I got," Sarah tapped on the wood. "What if- when he remembers me, he starts hating me for leaving him alone when he needed me the most?"

"Sarah, we were there for him when we lost Peach Creek. We were there for him when we were forced through the Void Lands. Joining the Company, the Trials of the Iron Coffin, Bora Bora, The ice cream social incident, the list goes on. If he is able to remember those times he will know you are doing the best you can. We have an opportunity for a second chance here, a lot of people never get that. Once he remembers you maybe we can start going back to the way we were back then. 3 randos chasing whimsies across time and space without a care in the world. Wouldn't that be something?"

"Yeah, it would," Sarah slowly digested her best friends words as she pulled her hand up. She silently dangled a thin chain from her fingers. Affixed to it was a silver ring. She covered her eyes with that arm. After a few moments she gave a laugh. "You had to bring up that damn ice cream party. That's not fair."

"I will until the end of time girlfriend," Jimmy giggled.

Sarah decided to go back to her tasks at hand. It felt easier to do now. "Did you hear anything from Ino again?"

"Not since this morning, why? Did the meeting fall through?"

"Ino never gave me the specifics, and when I called he didn't answer. Thought maybe he called you again," Sarah said.

Jimmy sighed. "So what now?"

"I'm at Abe's shack."

"That seems like a bad idea given what we believe he's doing."

"He's not here. And whether or not what we believe is true, he is the only guy that gave me anything in this town. If I can get in contact again, maybe I can pump him for more."

"Uh," A new voice murmured over the conversation. Sarah gazed up at the source. A teenage boy with brown hair and brown eyes was peering over her with a curious look on his face. He wore a uniform similar to the uniforms her spies wore at the coffee shop.

" _Wha! Where the hell did you come from?_ " Sarah sputtered out angrily. This broke the kid out of his odd gaze.

He jumps. " _S-sorry! I didn't mean to startle you! I- I need to talk to Abe-san. Is he here?"_

Sarah stared at the boy with a vicious expression. " _You could of asked me from further away! why did you come so close?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!_ "

" _I-I tried but you were busy a-a-and-_ " The teen looked like he was fighting something internally as he started to shake. " _P-please is Abe here? I n-need to talk to him. It's important._ "

Upon further examination Sarah was able to point out the exhaustion in the boys mannerisms. Sarah's anger gave way to concern as the teen placed a trembling hand on his forehead. " _H-hey, are you alright?_ "

" _N-no I- need the salt,_ " the teen murmured. His face turned blank as he started to fall forward. Sarah panicked and got out of the way causing the teen to face plant onto the wood stoop. The woman recoiled when she heard the knock.

…

After some hardship looking through Abe's supplies, Sarah was able to find a jar of purple powder with the label "Salt". Hidden in a file cabinet near the kitchen sink. She dashed a little on her palm and brought it to the teen laying in a cot in the cramp living room nearby. Removing red-splotched tissues from his nose, Sarah brought the violet powder to take their place. The brunette jolted back to life with a low groan of pain. An ice pack was gingerly placed on his head in response.

"You really ate it outside, don't move too much alright?" Sarah said softly. She adjusted the pack and pulled up a chair.

"Did-" The teen murmured. "Did I leave a dent?"

"It's not noticeable," Sarah replied with a light smile. "Scared a few gulls though."

"Oh, great. My best friend always told me I had a hard head. I wanted to test it," The teen and the woman had a small laugh. He made a brief shuffle which caused him to become puzzled. He slowly lifted the blanket that was draped over him. The discovery of his nakedness underneath made his face flush.

"You looked like a drowned rat, so I'm drying your clothes," Sarah responded getting up from her chair. "Relax, you have nothing I haven't seen before."

"This is- not necessary though," The teen sputtered getting up. He immediately regretted it as a rush of pain went through his head. He winced and laid back down.

"I told you not to move so much," Sarah said nonchalantly as she walked deeper into the house. "And you already bashed your head in, the least I can do is prevent you getting a cold on top of that."

Through more searching of the old man's things Sarah found some pain reliever in a cupboard and went to check on the dryer in an adjacent room. When she returned to the teen he was staring pensively at the glowing bottles on a nearby shelf.

"I don't know how good these still are, but here," Sarah offered the teen a small blue pill and a glass of water.

"Thank you," The teen accepted the offering appreciatively. "-for everything."

"What's your name?" Sarah asked returning to her seat.

"Takeshi Sado, RMIN: Dens-ki," The teen answered when he finished his gulp. "You?"

"Sarah Winters, PCIP(Paradigm Call-letters for Integrity Protocols): MON-IKA," Sarah responded. "Nice to meet you Sado-kun."

Takeshi looked like he was curious about something. "Winters?"

"Something wrong with my last name?" Sarah asked playfully.

Sado became flustered again. "N-no no, it's just that- it sounds familiar."

This peaked the woman's interest. "Eh? How so?"

"Are you related to- **Edwin Winters** by chance?"

Sarah felt like her heart stopped. "H-how do you know that name?"

Sado shrugged. "He's the ambassador for the Veilreich. Everyone in town knows his name."

"I see," Sarah chirped. Internally she was skeptical. She thought it seemed very unlikely that her big brother would even be interested in diplomacy, let alone be an ambassador.

Her heart desperately wanted it to be so however.

She always wanted a second chance in more than one relationship.

One question was on her mind however.

"What's the Veilreich?" Sarah asked.

"Huh?" The boy looked at Sarah. "Y-you don't know?"

"I just got here a few days ago, I don't know very much about this town. Apparently you do, so spill it," Sarah was more intrigued than annoyed at the teens presumptuousness on the subject.

"It's a little hard to explain," Sado began. "But the town sits on this net of small rivers made of a strange type of energy. These rivers are called Leylines and supposedly they act like a sort of circuit moving this energy to and fro throughout the town and the surrounding areas. The mills call this circuit the Veil."

"Why's that?" Sarah encouraged.

"Well come to find out that deep under these leylines, there exists a civilization of monsters that use the energy from them," Sado took a sip from his glass and removed the ice pack.

"Monsters? Like skeletons and ghosts?"

Sado nodded. "An entire kingdom of them, directly under the "veil" of Palisade Town."

 _Now that sounds more up Ed's alley._ Sarah thought.

"Did the people running the town know of this?" She piped up again.

"If they did they didn't say anything. The monsters just kind of showed up one day."

"So, they just showed up? No pomp and circumstance, they just popped out of the ground?"

"More like they came out of a mountain but yeah," Sado continued. "Like I said it's a little hard to explain. If you don't believe me they have a bazaar they set up in South Market on the weekends, and a lot of them live in the town south of us."

"I believe you, I think I saw a few wandering around earlier," Sarah exaggerated. She was kind of knowledgeable in Render culture but she wouldn't of been able to tell a "monster" from a Render on first glance if she was honest. "But- where does Edwin Winters come in?"

"The monsters say he freed them," Sado answered. "No one seems to know how he did it however. But again I'm just going with what I was told. All of that happened before I was born."

 _So, Ed might be here too._ Sarah thought. _I'd better keep this information away from Jimmy until I know for certain. Don't want to get hopes up too much._

A ding broke her concentration.

"That must be the dryer," Sarah pointed out. "I'll be right back, do you need anything while I'm up?"

Sado slightly moved his head around, then rose up. "No, I think I'm better now."

Sarah wanted to ask what caused Sado to conk out but something about his voice just then made her feel like it would probably be too personal for him to answer. Instead she gave a hum of affirmation and went back to the dryer. A few minute passed and she placed the teens clothes on the table in front of his cot and went to the door-less opening as Sado changed. "Will you be alright heading home?" She asked.

"Yeah I'll be fine, I just need to grab more of that salt," Sado replied scrounging around the papers on the table for the jar. "Did you find any orange envelopes by chance?"'

"Can't say that I have," Sarah shrugged. "I don't think he will mind if you take the jar for now."

Something else peaked Sado's interest. "Do you have the time?"

After a brief look at her watch Sarah looked back. "8:48."

Sado's skin went pale. "I was out for two and a half hours?"

Sarah turned apologetic. "Sorry, I didn't know what you meant by "salt" so I ended up taking time using different things in here that had salt. That purple jar was hidden so well I didn't find it until a few minutes ago."

Sado looked around the room and saw that indeed she wasn't kidding. Around the room were assorted containers filled with a variety of different colored salts all with a label with only one word: "salt". Most of them were cooking salts, and salts that were probably dangerous to inhale. As evidenced by the pile of bloody tissues in the bin.

Luckily this wasn't the first time someone had to experiment while he was in a trance, so he wasn't too shocked by any of this.

"If it's any consolation," The woman continued. "You are very durable. And my handler said the burning sensation in your sinuses should end by tomorrow morning- hopefully."

Sado certainly didn't feel durable at the moment. "I'll- take that as a compliment."

He tried to get up but the pain, while subdued still disoriented him. Sarah noticed this and got up from her chair. She helped Sado to his feet. "It's dark outside, do you want me to take you home?" She asked quietly in his ear.

The gray thing flashed blue as if to respond.

"I would like that," Sado squeaked out a moment later.

Sarah concluded. "Alright, I'm giving you the helmet then."

…

Sado felt regret in the form of the Sarah's fiery hair blowing around his visor. The metal frame barreling down the highway underneath him rumbled causing him to rumble as well. All this and the disorientation caused by the salt tests made him feel ill. Trying to keep the meager meal he ate before his odyssey down, he attempted to steady himself by wrapping his arms around the driver in front of him.

Sarah tensed up, she could feel a small vibrating sensation on her upper back. Other than that she felt nothing from her passenger. No warmth, no pressure, not even a pulse. She had no time to ponder why this was however, because the minute after she noticed the absence of sensation, she started feeling the teen's presence return. She silently rationalized this as the result of her back injury.

The ride continued without further incident after that.

…

15 minutes passed and Sarah made it to the neighborhood of South Market. Sado regained composure in that time and was able to give directions to his street. A few minutes later his house came into view, with a lone window illuminated on the second floor. The bike slowed to a halt and the two got off.

Sado spent a few minutes fiddled with the helmet as Sarah unlocked the hatch on the back of the bike. Sado slumped in defeat. "Can you help me take this off?"

"You're just having a time aren't you?" Sarah pondered. "Here, let me see."

Aside from his ears burning from the friction Sado was a free man after a few hard tugs. He bowed to the woman graciously.

"You seem better now all things considering," Sarah remarked.

"Yeah, m-must of been the fresh air," Sado added trying to hide the blush growing on his face.

"Sure, sure," Sarah mused grabbing the jar of salt from the back of the cycle. She placed the jar in Sado's hand and got back on the bike.

Sado jumped back to life and ran to the woman's side. "W-wait, I- I never got an answer from you."

"What about?"

"A-are you related to Edwin Winters?"

Sarah gave a small smile. "He's my brother."

Sado's eyes slowly widened.

"Thanks for the information about him," Sarah added warmly. "I really appreciate it."

Sado scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Please you did a lot more for me, it was the least I could do."

"See you around," Sarah lowered the visor of her helmet. Sado stepped back and with a wave, watched the woman drive down the street.

Sado stood there in the street for a few minutes, for some reason or another this was the first time in days that he felt any sense of good fortune.

Now if he could sleep through the night without having the nightmare he would be two for two.

 **Black Box Society** Day 4 Night (Continued)

Meanwhile upstairs a battle raged, the combatants: an elf and a pink puffy creature with red feet. Both were equipped with nothing but fans and were senselessly striking each other with them in a colorful fountain for 20 minutes. Their controllers clicked buttons rapidly with differing reactions. Screaming and exaggerated movement from the boy who was laying on his belly at the foot of a twin sized bed, and laughter from the girl who was lounging in a computer chair next to the bed.

 _Fighter percentages:_

Sayori: 138%

Eddy: 587%

"How are you so fast?!" Eddy exclaimed as his elf flipped away from the puffball for the 3rd time that minute.

"I keep telling you, the paper fan is my wheelhouse," Sayori giggled. "I have yet to meet anyone who can outsmart me with it."

"Oh yeah? How 'bout this!" Eddy challenged going right on the c stick. Unaware that Sayori already discarded her fan. The elf threw his fan at the puffball but was countered by an up-tilt dodge and the item was grabbed instead. Eddy deadpanned.

"Ehehe~ You were saying?" Sayori asked playfully. Eddy gave a small sweat than made a break for it. Down-tilt b then right-tilt a. A bomb was lobbed but it too was dodged. Sayori responded in kind, the elf became a star after impact with his own fan.

GAME!

"That's what you get," Sayori taunted as her character danced on the victory screen.

"I got desperate," Eddy grunted taking a sip of his soda can.

"If it makes you feel any better, you didn't resort to resetting like Takeshi does," Sayori smiled.

Eddy sighed and made a mental note to do that if the difference becomes too big again. He then asked. "What's the count now?"

"5 to 3, your choice again," Sayori chirped.

During Eddy's menu traversal the bedroom door opens and Takeshi entered the room.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Sado asked entering the doorway.

"Hey hey," Sayori greeted standing up. Eddy raises his hand into a half-hearted wave. Sayori noticed Sado's disposition immediately. "Are you alright? You look tired."

"Y-yeah, long day. What are you two doing here?" Sado asked.

"W-well your parents invited us for dinner with Monika's parents. You didn't show up, so we decided to stay until you got back," Sayori allowed Sado to pass her, he sat down in the chair.

"Dinner?" Sado asked. Then he had a look of realization. "O-oh man, I- I completely forgot about that. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it Sado-boy," Eddy responded looking toward his rival. "You weren't the only one."

"Huh?" Sado asked puzzled.

Sayori's brows furrowed. "Monika's parents didn't show up either."

"We ended up getting a lecture on "Sticky Note Parenting" because of it," Eddy added with a cross look on his face.

"Wait, you both think Monika's parents are- ignoring her?" Sado asked.

"Certainly looks that way," Eddy accused. "They probably don't even care she's in the hospital."

"That a lot to assume though," Sado remarked.

Sayori turned angry. "They didn't visit Monika in the hospital last night or this morning. Your Dad tried contacting them multiple times and it all went straight to voicemail. They didn't even call back to check on her Takeshi. Why did they even have children if they are just going to choose their job over them?"

"I-I'm sure there's a reason behind this," Sado said trying to cool down the burning bun. "Remember when I broke my arm during our junkyard scavenger hunt, and it took my Mom 4 days to get back from her business trip. She said she couldn't get messages during her travel because the plane didn't have service. M-maybe it's like that. Just because they miss one dinner and a day, that's not a reason to assume they abandoned her."

"Sado-," Eddy began pulling out the sticky note and the folded "thank you" note. "I need you to compare something."

He held the notes up to his rival. Who felt something hard in the pit of his stomach.

"Is that your blood?" Sado asked looking at the dried splatters on the folded note.

"Yes, but that's not the point," Eddy clarified. "Does the handwriting look the same to you too?"

Sado drooped his head somberly a moment later. "It does."

Eddy crumpled up the notes and pocket them. Sayori sat down on the bed next to him.

"Do the others know?" Sado asked.

"Yuri found the note among others in Monika's bag," Sayori recalled. "There were so many of them we all just thought it was a little peculiar, and didn't push the matter further."

"That's what sticky note parents want," Eddy replied. "Overload the house with so many of those damn notes, do it for years, then stop. The kid will start creating their own notes, and since they will fill the spaces themselves no one would bother to question which handwriting belongs to the parent or the kid."

"Why would the kid start writing their own notes and then sign them as their parents?" Sado had a hard time dealing with this information.

"B-beats me," Eddy backpedaled. "I'm just saying what the Doc said."

"I'm really worried Takeshi," Sayori fidgeted. "I don't know very much about Monika's personal life, so I have no idea who we can have take care of her until she gets better."

"She can't stay with one of us?" Sado pondered.

"Once she's disconnected from that tower thing she will be Incoherent for about two weeks afterwards. She needs a safe environment and someone to watch over her in that time. Neither Sayori and I can do it because it's just us in our households. And Boss's is a can of worms that is best not to open," Eddy theorized. "So if we're going that route it's either you or Yuri."

"My parents work, and even if I didn't have school I'm not much of a caretaker," Sado rubbed the back of his head.

"You take care of me," Sayori replied.

"That's because I know you like the back of my hand. I don't know anything about Monika and it doesn't seem right to force her into the care of someone she had only known for a week," Sado explained.

"He's got a point there," Eddy added. The group pondered the dilemma through a round of coin melee.

"Oh!" Sayori exclaimed with a look of inspiration as her puffball was sent to oblivion on the side of the stage. "Shin and Eri are her childhood friends, if anyone would know what she's like outside of school, they would."

"That- you may be on to something," Sado nodded.

Eddy was unsure if he should respond to this. _It's better she learns from them._ He just nodded in agreement.

"Wasn't she a part of other clubs as well?" Sado asked.

"Well the only other activity she really stayed in was the badminton team, everything else she sort of stayed until she got the gist of how it ran, then left," Sayori explained.

"Why's that?" Sado was surprised in Sayori's knowledge on the matter.

"She isn't a fan of the Rasputin's way of doing things. If she found out they had the club wrapped around their finger, she would leave it for something else."

"And they influenced the Debate Club even with Shin running it," Sado concluded.

Sayori nodded. "Yeah, that made Monika want to start her own club, one that was actually about Literature instead of being another branch for the snakes. Her words not mine."

"Bet the snakes didn't like that," Eddy assumed.

"There's a reason why the club is so small," Sayori lowered her head. "And- why we wanted the festival to go well."

Believing Sayori's line of reasoning had started to turn to dark places, Eddy paused the game, rose up and wrapped his arm around her back. "Hey, hey, it's going to be alright. We did the best we could yesterday. And she's actually getting the help she needs now. Once she comes back we will focus on the club and stick it to the man like she wants to. Like we all want to," Eddy comforted. "Until then since we have a few leads to go on now; we can hash out a strategy with the club tomorrow and go from there."

Sayori softened up and slowly laid her head on the Ed-boy's shoulder. Eddy saw the blush forming on her face as she gave a light smile. "Oh yeah, tomorrow's your first day of school isn't it?"

"Y-yeah, it will be my first day in the monkey suit," Eddy smiled back nervously. He then felt eyes bore into the back of his skull.

"You should probably be more focused on that instead," Sado responded with a glare. There was a bit of fire in his voice as well. "Sayori and I will follow those leads and bring them up to the others at the club tomorrow."

"Ok, t-that works too," Eddy answered warily. He was silently glad that looks couldn't kill.

"Takeshi, Are you- feeling alright?" Sayori asked as she watched Sado stare at Eddy with a sinister look in his eyes.

Sado lowered his head apprehensively. He pinched his nose with a wince. "Yeah, sorry, it's- just my sinuses acting up."

"Too much salt?" Sayori inquired softly. She walked over and started rubbing the boy's head.

"That's part of it," Sado released his nose. "I didn't sleep well after I came home last night. I ran out so I had to go to Abe's after the club. Fighting the trance every time I stood still. I was able to make it, but Abe wasn't there. I couldn't fight it anymore."

"How long were out this time?" Eddy spoke up.

"About two hours," Sado said embarrassed.

"Takeshi!" Sayori replied in shock. "You should of said something after our meeting, I'm sure Yuri would of let you borrow some of hers."

"I-i wasn't thinking, I thought I had enough at home to make the difference so I didn't question it." Sado rubbed his face.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Sayori replied as a clack sounded off behind her. "We can leave you alone so you can rest."

Sado lowered his head. "I-I don't want to kick you out after you waited for me."

"Takeshi," Sayori lifted Sado's head to look at her. "Like I said before all this mayhem started, making sure my friends are happy is the most important thing I want to do. And part of it is making sure they're healthy as well. I know how bad these trances can get, just like you. It's really not a problem."

Instead of drudging up the reason behind her words the last time she brought that up, he just murmured. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Sayori answered by hugging him. "Of course," She cooed. "I'll be here if you need me."

With that discussion quelled they said their good nights and they looked to find Eddy had already left the room with a note left behind. He had left the house in a blind fury a few minutes before. He had too many questions he needed an answer to and he wasn't going to waste time chewing the scenery.

Because the box gave him a memory.

 **Of a 12 year old Keichi waking him up on a trawler.  
** **And he was someone else.  
** **A girl with different colored eyes.**

 **BLACK BOX SOCIETY SEQUENCE END**

" **YOU GOTTA LOVE THESE FAMILY MOMENTS" SEQUENCE BEGIN**


	19. Day 5: Morning

**The Sleeping Man**

 **I know of a man that slept for three thousand years.  
** **Went to bed in a flash  
** **Slept peacefully without fears.  
** **While his world turned to ash.**

 **Fell asleep a husband  
** **Now spouse of a stranger.  
** **Fell asleep a father.  
** **He awoke with no answer.**

 **When they helped him pull through  
** **They had not a clue  
** **About the wife with no name  
** **And the child holding the blame**

 **The man went to find her  
** **And send the responsible to task  
** **The ones he loved forced his anger to a shelf  
** **Because in Town they said, he couldn't be himself.**

 **With help, he found a mask  
** **And had a reunion to prepare  
** **But she fell asleep in his arms  
** **Not even knowing he was there.**

 **The guy's best friend  
** **Saw the man's world turning bleak  
** **Said you have done so much, I'll fix this.  
** **Just sleep another week.**

 **The best friend then slept and became unknown  
** **And the girl thinks she's alone.  
** **Because unknowns can't wake the man.  
** **Nor tell how to do so again.**

" **You Gotta Love These Family Moments."** Day 5: Morning

The shrill alarm pierced the subdued light of Eddy's room. With a groan from the lone occupant, it was silenced with a slap. Eddy opened his eyes to the sight of his new blackout curtains lightly bellowing in the circulating air. The sight made him almost thankful for the clarity he had before his mental breakdown the night before. Rising up in his bed, he peered at the remnants of said breakdown which were scattered across his floor. Pages and pages of nondescript blueprints, entry logs, and thank-you letters laid across the wooden floor like large autumn leaves. Along with the blank photo stock on his desk and an overturned box tower with its contents spilling out the top, the area looked more akin to a junkyard than a living space. Overseeing the destruction, Eddy cricked his neck with a sour expression. _So much for exploiting the 7 month hiatus. I'm no more prepared now than when it started._

Wondering if he had time to at least clean up a bit, he looked at his alarm. Give or take he had about a hour and a half to get his morning affairs in order. It was then that he noticed the pleasant smell of sunflowers that still lingered in his sheets. Along with a distinct clang of metal from downstairs. Eddy's mood lightened enough for him to smirk. _Uh-Oh,_ _Looks like Boss is stealing my kitchen again. Better set off the alarm._

…

Meanwhile downstairs in the kitchen, the pinkette intruder cursed under her breath as she held one of her fingers in her mouth. Briefly distracted, she accidentally grazed it on the side of a heated skillet filled with rice and small cuts of meat doused in sauce a moment prior. The sensation caused her to jolt, swinging the spatula she was holding against the metal bowl she kept to her right. Causing it to topple and spill a good amount of the sauce it was still holding onto the counter-top. After a brief wave of her affected finger, she moved to the sink and grabbed a rag. She returned to the mess and started to wipe, unaware of her co-worker sneakily hopping to the ground from the patio awning underneath his bedroom window.

"Damn, so much for second helpings," Natsuki grumbled to herself as she returned the white stone counter-top to its former sheen. She closed her eyes and shook her head as her headache started to subside. _Why the hell am I thinking that? This is just a friendly meal between friends and co-workers. There's nothing romantic behind it._

"WHAT DOIN?!" Eddy yelled at Natsuki's back.

"KYAA!" Natsuki yelled dropping to the floor. She immediately swiveled and upon seeing Eddy laughing with a hand covering his mouth, her eyes morphed into brackets. "Rookie! You know I hate that!"

"Consider that your punishment for breaking my Uncle's rule about uninvited guests," Eddy smirked as his guest scrambled back to her feet.

"That rule only applied to my dad and you know it," Natsuki rebutted lightly tapping Eddy's cheek with her spatula. "Now play nice, or no eggs you hear me?"

"Ok ok," Eddy conceded. With that the chef returned to her devices. But not without briefly glancing at Eddy's bandages that were exposed underneath his white tank top.

"Do they still hurt?" Natsuki asked softly as she started tumbling the ingredients in the skillet. She was about to respond in her usual diffuse tactic of shutting down implications of her intent, but she stopped herself.

"Not as bad as they did," Eddy said rubbing the linen on his arm for emphasis. He then spotted the light pink wrappings slightly poking out of Natsuki's knee socks and shirt sleeves. "What about you? You doing alright?"

The concern in the boy's voice made Natsuki tug at her sleeves nervously. "Wh-what do you mean by that?"

"Abe-san told me what happened with the fireworks. I was wondering if you wanted my help?" Eddy pressed as he scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, no I'm alright," Natsuki replied hoping the boy didn't see her growing blush. It didn't help that she was remembering the last time they baked together. "I'm almost done. I'll- let you know when it's ready."

"Alright, I'll be in here if that changes," Eddy dropped the subject and left the kitchen to the adjacent family room. He took a seat on his black leather couch and grabbed a remote off the glass coffee table in front of him. With a click the television activated,

 **Ed! Edd! E-**

Eddy immediately shut off the TV before he could hear himself and dropped the remote. "A-actually I'd better go shower and change before I get too comfortable," He said with a nervous chuckle. He headed up the stairs not noticing that Natsuki watched him panic.

In the time it took Eddy to go up the stairs and walk into the master bathroom, his box realized the faux-pas and began to throw a fit in response. Through the resulting migraine, Eddy splashed his face with fresh water. _C'mon, get it together._ He chided himself as he tried to slap himself away from a familiar fear brewing in the back of his head. _J-just because there's cartoon characters that look and act like me, Ed and Double d doesn't mean anything. People get inspiration from all sorts of places._ Unsurprisingly his rationalizing did nothing to soothe the box nor his nerves. So instead he turned on the shower, undressed himself, and walked in. A few minutes of hot water and steam silenced the box leaving Eddy to slowly hung his head and sigh in frustration. _Yay first day of school._

Meanwhile back downstairs Natsuki was investigating what made her charge jolt. All she found was a cartoon drawn in a art style that gave everything depicted a squiggly feel. The background music had the likeness to free-form jazz. And the focus was on three children with the same name. _Now why would Eddy be freaked out by this of all things?_ Natsuki thought as she watched some of the episode play out. After briefly pondering if he reacted that way before, she switched the television's input to a streaming service. She decided her cooking needed more attention at the moment and tabbed the thought for later.

…

"So Boss, how do I look?" Eddy grinned pridefully as he tightened his tie. He then rubbed the sides of his blazer. "Like a million yen, eh?"

" You forgot the vest, Dummy," Natsuki deadpanned as she took a bite of her omelet.

"Oh, I didn't forget. I ain't wearing it," Eddy replied coolly.

"Oh ho ho, yes you are buddy-boy," Came the response from his superior. "I'm not going to have you get in trouble on the first day."

"It's just a vest, people don't really get in trouble for not wearing something do they?," Eddy defended.

"They do in Kokoro, they've put the hammer down on people for lesser things," Natsuki crossed her arms and pouted. "I know that personally."

Eddy understood what she was alluding to. "Well, it doesn't help that I sweat whenever I put it on."

"That doesn't matter, that's the dress code Rookie," Natsuki huffed.

"Who's bright idea was it to have everyone dress in suits anyway?" Eddy complained. "It's just school. It's not like we're meeting important people there."

"I'm not having this argument Rookie," The chef glared. She then pointed to the space next to her. "Now sit, your food's getting cold."

" _Fine Mom, but I'm not putting it on until we leave,_ " Eddy grumbled using Japanese to drive his point home. This prompted a surprised expression from Natsuki as he took his place on the couch. After a few moments of internal conflict later Natsuki's expression softened as she rallied to her previous point.

"Look, I don't like the getup either. If it was up to me, everyone would be allowed to wear casual clothes. Hell, I would even allow people to wear Renders," Natsuki swiped a hand over her face for emphasis. "But that isn't what's happening now. And the last thing I want is for you having to deal with Ino if he finds out you were breaking rules right out of the gate."

"Even if you were hosting him?" Eddy took a bite of his eggs.

"Ino is Ino regardless of who hosts him," Natsuki said as she took a bite. One beat later she jolted and spat out some meat. Prompting a chuckle from her co-worker as she stared back at him in shock . "How the hell did you know I was hosting him?!"

"Ino doesn't seem like the guy to be interested in romantic comedies from a couple of centuries ago," Eddy answered with a smirk. "Poor guy acted like he had no idea what he was doing after a while."

"Er- well- I think that had more to do with the hospital then the manga," Natsuki said going back into her meal. Her face flush with embarrassment. "As for Fruits Basket itself, I was actually surprised he took to my suggestion like he did, I thought he would just reject the thought immediately. Instead afterwards when I gave Font-san the mask back, Ino asked to keep a few volumes for later reading."

"Don't know why you're surprised about that. Just because your Dad has a conniption about manga, doesn't mean his brother would too," Eddy pointed out.

"No- I know that," Natsuki defended after a slight hesitation. "It's just that- you know I don't really indulge my interests with anyone. Well- outside of you and the club I mean."

Eddy was surprised about where this conversation came to. He didn't really expect Natsuki to give him more insight about her "Picture Book Stigma Complex Thingie" as was eloquently termed by him. Hell, he didn't expect her to even bring it up at all after everything that happened this week. But in a way he felt comfortable with the fact she had a supporter in her family circle now. "Well, it certainly sounds like your experiment was a success then," Eddy concluded ending with a downing of his coffee milk.

"I hope so," Natsuki replied with a light smile. "I need more people who understand good literature."

The conversation wound down into a comfortable silence that lasted through the rest of the meal and the duration of the show Natsuki chose from the service. Even in the silence however Natsuki found that she was more interested in Eddy than the program. More importantly that he was slightly shaking. She wasn't really sure if he was aware of it or not, but she was starting to fear that he may not be coping with everything as well as his outward demeanor would imply.

She looked away as guilt seeped into her heart. _Damn it, why am I burdening him about who likes manga or not? He nearly saw Sayori and Monika die in the span of two days. He lost the only family he has and almost lost his life again on top of that! He didn't get to enjoy the festival! He didn't get to taste the cupcakes we made together! He-_

 _he-_

 _he-_

 _he-_

 _he-_

 _he-_

 _heheheheheh_ _ **i**_ _ **fdvvdvvsdufuerkamal;vipjvivvisvkv**_ _he ggggggggggg_ _ **uvsvbvbsdvsidvkcaoolmzxvdbvHe will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!He will suffer!**_ **V0FSTklORzogQU5PTUFMWSBERVRFQ1RFRCBJTiBTQ1JJUFQucHB5Li4uCkFOQUxZWklORyBTT1VSQ0UuLi4KLi4uCi4uLgouLi4KLi4uCi4uLgouLi4KU291cmNlIGZvdW5kLi4uCkJlZ2lubmluZyBxdWFyYW50aW5lLi4uCi4uLgouLi4KLi4uClF1YXJhbnRpbmUgcHJvY2VzcyBzdWNjZXNzZnVsLi4uCgpCZWdpbm5pbmcgUk9MTEJBQ0suLi4KLi4uCi4uLgpSb2xsYmFjayBmYWlsZWQuLi4KQmVnaW5uaW5nIGNvdW50ZXJtZWFzdXJlLi4uCi4uLgpSZXN0b3JpbmcgcHJldmlvdXMgc2V0dGluZ3MuLi4KUmVzdG9yZSBjb21wbGV0ZS4uLgpCZWdpbm5pbmcgc2NyaXB0UHVzaC4uLgouLi4KLi4uClByb2Nlc3MgY29tcGxldGUuLi4K**

…

An hour of pleasant companionship followed after Eddy and Natsuki had their little moment. Then after another argument about the vest, Eddy (now wearing the vest) left the house and began his trek over to Sayori's place with Natsuki in tow. "So, what else do the teachers have a stick up their ass about?" Eddy asked her, trying to distract himself from the sweat forming on his forehead.

"It really depends on the teacher mostly. You'll have plenty of time to figure it out," Natsuki shrugged. "Just remember your honorifics and try to make a good first impression with everyone in class. You're going to be dealing with them for the rest of the year."

"Really?" Eddy raised an eyebrow. "We don't go to other classes?"

"Besides gym, the teachers change classrooms not the students. We still get a break in between for whatever but we go back to the same room when its over," Natsuki explained. "That's why it's important not to embarrass yourself."

"Embarrass myself?" Eddy asked with fake surprise. He then smirked. "Boss, it's like you don't know anything about me. I got charisma for days."

Natsuki grinned mischievously. "This coming from someone who forgot how to use the bathroom a month ago."

Eddy fell to the street comically. When his companion turned back he rose his index finger and pointed. "That- was a low blow Boss."

Natsuki giggled in response. "Just trying to keep your ego in check."

Eddy just grumbled under his breath as he stood again. After a wipe of his brow, he followed his officer to the corner of the street. Where he started to notice a brassy melody floating over the sounds of the people and cars around them. He turned to Natsuki, "You hear that?"

Natsuki had to take a moment to notice the sound. But when she did, the emotion slowly drained out of her face. She lowered her head in embarrassment. "My dad's with Ino today."

"Can't escape "Trumpet Time" can ya?" Eddy asked patting the girl on the back with a light laugh.

When they moved closer to Sayori's house, the baker's hypothesis became too accurate for her liking. In front of the house in a flat-bed truck sat two grown men playing brass instruments with a jazz accompaniment playing on a small box radio in between them. Ino on the trombone, and a shorter, wiry, pinkish-white haired man with cotton-candy colored eyes on the trumpet. In stark contrast to Ino white tank-top and black jean shorts, the pink-haired man was dressed in a red and yellow polo shirt with a purple patch with the initials "MTT", red pants, and white shoes. Not in stark contrast was the RBF he and Ino seemed to have in common.

"Hey Ruto!" Eddy called out. "They tested the disaster drill last week! You don't need to do it again!" The abruptness of his remark caused Natsuki to break up her greetings with laughter.

"Morning Baby Girl. Go to hell McGee-san," The man responded.

"Already there Gillespie," Eddy replied as the Ruto returned to his playing.

The music began to crescendo as the two men bellowed at faster and faster speeds. The sound made the two utility workers involuntarily vibrate. In an attempt to lessen the nightmare she was stuck with at that moment, Natsuki turned away. In the process, she spotted Sayori walking out of Sado's house. In the time of the last hanging note played by the men, she saw her demeanor brighten as she quickened her pace to the truck.

"Good morning everyone," Sayori greeted with a bright smile. The greeting was returned in a mix of words, grunts, and simple head nods. She took notice of the new addition to the party. "Oh hello, you must be Suichiro I take it?"

Ruto looked at Natsuki with a slight fear. She just smiled in response. "It's alright," She reassured. "She just likes to be informal."

"Uh- yeah," Ruto answered turning his attention back to the coral-haired teen. He then moved closer and extended a free hand. "Suichiro Nejima, RMIN: Ruto-sai."

"Sayori Onzai, RMIN: Bun-nii," Sayori replied warmly as she shook the man's hand. "Natsuki told me a lot about you."

"Good things I hope," Ruto replied dismissing his trumpet with an uneasy smile.

"You've got to shake that paranoia," Ino remarked clasping Ruto's shoulder. He then turned his attention to Sayori. "Sado not coming then?"

Sayori's smile faltered at this. "He had a bad night last night. His mom will take him to school after he gets some more sleep."

"Ok, his loss," Ino concluded figuring from his tenant's expression, she was not really wanting to elaborate. With that everyone filed into the truck, with the adults in the front and the teens in the back. Eddy by complete happenstance ended up in between Natsuki and Sayori. Although the more optimal term would probably be "squashed" between Natsuki and Sayori.

"Look at us," Sayori observed with a giggle at the predicament she and her friends were in. "We look like canned tuna."

"Yeah, fantastic," Natsuki responded with a dry expression. Her face pressed hard against the glass.

"I'm going to become more two-dimensional at this rate," Eddy grumbled before his eyes widened in surprise. He looked down then to his right. "Hey Sayo-, I like the enthusiasm but Ino's right there."

"Ah! Sorry!" Sayori squeaked moving her hand away. "I thought I was touching a leg."

Ino smirked watching the three squirm as they attempted a semi-comfortable arrangement. "Maybe it was a good thing Sado didn't want to ride with us." He muttered.

"Hey if you need more room back there, I can ride in the truck bed," Ruto offered after a yelp of pain came from a close rub of Eddy's arms and a quick apology from both of the girls. The passengers looked at each other and Sayori called shotgun before anyone else could react.

Ruto shook his head with an amused smile and moved out of his seat. The positions changed and sighs of relief harmonized with the trucks air conditioning. Once Ruto gave a ready signal from the bed of the truck, the party began their trip into the city proper.


	20. Re: A Problem

Email received: 11/23/26XX

Greetings, User: -REDACTED-

We have received your complaint. However due to issues beyond our control we are unable to retrieve the transcripts from Records #E370D7 and #ALP413 at this time. Efforts to restore the missing components of Perspective 980 are now underway. Unfortunate due to this the perspective will be offline until such procedures are completed.

In the meantime as a compensation for your inconvenience, we have allowed the use of Parallel Perspectives for your account in addition to the allowance of "Alternate" Perspectives and Perspective 1175 already in place. The instructions to enter a Parallel perspective along with their descriptions and restrictions are in the attachment to this email.

We sincerely apologize and deeply thank you for your continued support of the Palisade Time Capsule.

Sincerely,

-REDACTED-


	21. Day 5: Morning(827C)

**-ACCESSING PERSPECTIVE MENU...**

 **-PLEASE SELECT PERSPECTIVE:**

 **MAIN  
** **1175  
** **980**

 **PARALLEL**

 **774A  
** **1664  
** **07F3  
** **186B  
** **827C  
** **F180**

 **ALTERNATE**

 **657D  
** **1195**

 **:827C**

 **PROCESSING…**

 **…**

 **mrgnjhxnhjxhnlbnkvlbm[og,zoz,sg;mhdhnxnxilmkflgzhnzdfhonkbdninidnbkilfmbk;nmbknbxdnbdigndifbnkibnibknifbnfibiheioivzdmvipd[vmzopv[zrioghrguiophdiofibkozfmviofvjiodfgnidfobnidfobndfio[bnzdfiobzdioghzdigo[mfiv[zmfvioznfbizfnbizodnbibb**

" **You Gotta Love These Family Moments."** Day 5: Morning(Parallel Perspective: 827C)

Suichiro didn't remember falling asleep, and frankly because of the rushing air and noise around his position he didn't expect to. He only realized he was when a small lurch caused him to tap his head hard against the truck-bed's liner. He opened his eyes to the stone and pipes above him and he heard the passengers of the truck start to leave under the hum of city life happening around them.

"Thanks for the ride Papa Ino!" Sayori cheered as she hopped out the truck with a beaming smile. Suichiro groaned as he rose himself back into a more comfortable position and watched as Eddy and Natsuki thanked Ino as well and walked out of the garage. A familiar feeling washed over Suichiro as he quietly pulled out a small rubber band out of his pocket. Just staring at the slightly frayed loop in his hands he remembered the voice.

 _ **"Your daughter is a pillar of the Hojo force. And you're a drunk lout scraping by at minimum wage. Take this as an opportunity to better yourself."**_

"You good Bro?" Ino asked him a few minutes later. Having returned from a small chat with the school's groundskeeper about the Tasks they both were given for the day. A daily occurrence since Ino returned.

"Yeah, just got lost in my head again," Suichiro replied pulling his long hair into a ponytail, using the band to hold it in place. He then turned to Ino. "We getting Abe-san then?"

"That's the plan anyway," Ino grinned. "There are a few Tasks I may need help with afterwards if you're interested."

"Like hell I am," Suichiro grumbled climbing out the back of the truck-bed.

Ino had a brief moment of shock before shaking his head. "A lot must of happened since I was gone. Before, you would have been all for wacky adventures for Stats and profit."

 _Before, I didn't have to keep my head down._ Suichiro thought briefly before giving his brother a weak smile. "Look Ino, I know what you want me to do and believe me I appreciate it. But I just got off midnight shift, I'm not the spring chicken I was when I was younger."

"I get that Bro," Ino grinned mischievously. "Don't worry, none of the Tasks are back-breaking work." Ino then murmured under his breath. "Though, some are bed-breaking though."

The older younger brother's eyes widened. "No, no, nononononononono! I'm not doing "Dating" Services again you son-of-a-bitch!"

Ino laughed loudly. "There you go, that's my Ichi!"

"I'm serious, I got enough problems as it is! I'm not compounding more on top by sleeping in some stranger's bed!" Suichiro roared.

"I'm kidding I'm kidding. I know you have a lot on your plate. Just wanted to rile up the monkey cage a tad," Ino replied holding his hands up in defense. The two brother's then filed into the truck and started out. Out of the garage Ino started for the highway before he spoke up again. "I really do need to talk about some recent developments."

Ruto met Ino's statement with a glare. He knew Ino had something brewing in his head. However knowing how his brother worked, didn't see any way to stop himself from what he believes to be a precursor to another wack-job tangent. Ruto dropped the glare and sighed. "What's going on Ino?"

"Ed's daughter is alive," Ino answered putting his sunglasses on.

"Bullshit!"

"Bro I-"

"No there's no way!"

"I'm serious. She came to me and Abe at the airstrip two days ago," Ino said simply. Suichiro felt the air in the vehicle go a little colder as he watched the slight flicker of pink try to overload his brother's eyes. "She said her name was Sarah Winters and if you saw her you would make the connection as well. And I'm not the only one who thinks this either. The Mills are interested in this as well."

"How do you know that?" Ruto asked raising an eyebrow.

"Natsuki had a Task that involved getting information about her yesterday. She even brought Sayori along to help her get her feet wet with the Task Network," Ino beamed. "It's like watching a butterfly break out of its cocoon."

Ruto just shook his head. He didn't know the circumstances that is causing Ino to behave like a doting father to someone he just met, and at this point he was tired and didn't feel like prying into it. Instead he took the opportunity to get analytical about Ino's claim. "Ok back on topic, say that it's true. Say that Ed's daughter somehow survived the Night of Fire and went into hiding. Why would she decide out of blue 10 years later to reappear, knowing that the 99s still have a foothold in Palisade?"

Ino opened his mouth but a beat later closed it again. As much as he wanted to say otherwise, he couldn't refute his brother's paranoia. Keichi was evidence enough that the Cult's ideals could still influence those willing to listen. He thought about what Sarah said brought her to Town and summarized, "She said she was looking for her fiancee. She came to Abe asking him if he knew anything about him. I don't know if she knows about the Cult's recent activities or not."

"Well whether she knows or not, if she keeps making waves like this the cult will come to her soon enough," Suichiro concluded warily. "Do the monsters know she's in Town at least?"

"I don't know about any of that," Ino answered.

"Your host is their Ambassador, you'd think he would know if the Vielreich is aware of Sarah or not."

"If he is, he didn't tell me. But then again I'm just a Team Supervisor. People in high positions like Sans probably have better things to do then explain espionage plans with small gears like me," Ino rationalized scratching the back of his head.

"Ino," Ruto narrowed his eyes. "Sans is hosting you right now as you go along meandering Tasks like decorating window boxes, fist-fighting summoned bears, and carving stone cupcakes. What important things could he possibly be putting off for that?"

Ino just shrugged. "He gave me a new chance at life. Who am I to question what he does otherwise?"

"That's very complacent of you."

"It's better than the alternative."

The drive to the Onsen District of Palisade Town became calmer as the two brothers changed topics to less surprising matters. The sights of the city proper gave way to more rural wood housings and inns when Ruto asked. "So is it true? Is Natsuki a viable host for you as well?"

"Yeah, surprised me as well. Though considering what we know about Eddy it shouldn't be," Ino said.

Ruto pinched his nose in irritation. "I guess Obe was right then. She's smitten."

"The Mentor program doesn't choose hosts based on if they love their Shindoki or not," Ino explained. "It's all about calculations and capability and all that back-end gobbledygook."

"I'm just thinking it's too convenient. Natsuki finds some weird kid in the river, nurses him back to health like a baby bird, and just so happens to have enough compatibility in the System's eyes to be the kid's mentor if something happens to you," Ruto felt a chill go down his spine. "N-not that anything will happen to you of course."

"Of course," Ino agreed before giving his opinion. "Whether Natsuki would become Eddy's Mentor or not, you can't really deny that she's happier when she's around him. Isn't that what you want?"

Ruto took a moment to mull over his memory of the past few iterations. His paranoia about the 99's and the faceless players that make up the Vigil Group had given him the unexpected boon of increased awareness of the world around him. But even without it he saw enough evidence to back up Ino's observation. However he also knew full well that his daughter wasn't like himself or Eddy. "It is," He finally answered. "I just want to know if her happiness is genuine that's all."

"Do you believe Natsuki's only getting sweet with Edi-oun because of "that" side of her?" Ino asked trying to skirt around the term he wanted to say.

"I'm just concerned that she's going to get hurt if McGee-san figures out she's a Chūto-doki," Ruto answered inadvertently slamming into the term himself.

"I hate using words like that," Ino grumbled. "Human is human."

"Yeah, tell that to your old faction and the 99s," Ruto interjected causing Ino to rub his neck moments later.

"I'll keep a watchful eye on Eddy if it'll help ease your nerves," Ino offered. "But you have to believe me when I say that Natsuki is making her own decisions. Nothing and nobody outside her control is forcing her into pursuing a poly relationship."

"Poly?" Ruto asked almost immediately.

Ino smirked. "As much as she wants to deny it, I learned many things about her when she was hosting me. She's in that club for more than just literature Ichi. She's got that Asaki ambition all right."

"I need a drink," Ruto commented feeling dread in the pit of his stomach as Ino chuckled mischievously. The conversation fell apart soon afterwards and Suichiro couldn't of been more content. The less he was reminded of his brother's sexual history the better.

"Hey speaking of relations, I met with Koizumi-chan last night, and guess what? She can still do that tongue thing," Ino mused. "How come you didn't keep in contact with her mother?"

Suichiro deadpanned as he silently wished for death. It was going to be a long ride.

…

After a half-hour of driving, the brothers finally reached Abe's meditation area. Pulling off to the side of the street, they left the truck to walk down a small cobblestone pathway surrounded by yards of flowering plants and ponds of shimmering fish. The path led to a small alcove carved into a rock wall that overlooked the sea. The only inhabitants of this quiet place was a small grave marker, and a strange shepherd's hook wrapped in chains holding two bells and an old-fashioned glass lantern. In between them, nestled against the wall in the back of the overlook laid Abe-san in his slumped corpse-like reverie. Silently mumbling nothings that were drowned out by the low sound of crashing waves far below.

"This place gives me the creeps," Ino commented looking around the hideaway, ignoring the growing chill in his spine.

"Just think they used to make others do this as a Task," Ruto replied as he materialized a small steel case. "Just don't stand too close to the lamp." He then snapped the case open and placed the blowing indigo dust it under Abe's nose

"GYAHACKE!" Abe yelped jolting back to life causing the brothers to recoil. After a few pants the old man was able to pull himself together somewhat. "Oh, Doggie, Casserole, good to see you."

"Casserole?" Ruto repeated.

"New nickname," Abe chirped in between deep breaths.

Ruto looked at Ino in confusion. Ino shrugged in response. "Better then "Poo-tee-weet"," He conceded. This was enough for "Casserole" to accept his fate.

Abe pulled out his phone and after a brief glance at the lit screen he shook his head. "Quick question if you don't mind," He asked as he lifted himself up with the lantern post. "Have any of you heard anything about Obe's INV?"

Ruto raised an eyebrow. "I didn't get anything."

"Why are you asking us? You're the executor of his will," Ino said crossing his arms.

"I know and it's starting to concern me," Abe mused. "Lost and Found is usually faster than this. How am I even supposed to start settling his affairs without even knowing what they are?"

"Town Council is probably dragging their feet 'cause of the investigation," Ino rationalized, he then felt a cold hand grab his leg. He looked down, and immediately wished he didn't. "Gah! What the hell?!" he exclaimed when his eyes met the visage of a small child-like entity halfway in the ground around the lantern. The entity was pale white and emaciated with a black hole where its face was supposed to be.

"Callistro! Don't do that!" Abe commanded lightly wiggling the lantern post. The entity made a squeaking noise and retracted its hand, lightly gripping the lantern post instead. "And you wonder why we never keep guests."

"Abe, what the hell is that?!" Ino roared as he tried to control his shaking.

Abe removed his hand from the lantern and placed it against the back of his head. "Eh-heh, it- would be a little easier to explain if he didn't try to trick you," He said in a cold sweat. "D-don't be afraid Doggie, he's as harmless as can be."

"That didn't answer my question."

Abe and Castillio looked at each other. Then with a wave, the entity submerged himself back into the ground with a fanfare of small black clouds. "In my old town,.I used to work for a branch of the town's major religion," Abe began. "This branch was kept a secret by the populace, and as such the church did everything in their power to keep it being a secret. Even going so far as to not allow communication between ourselves through conventional means. Thankfully because of the- uniqueness- of our status allowed us the use of little messengers, entities like Castillio to do the transfer of communication for us."

"Yeah, why use notifications when you can just use nightmare children," Ino replied, his sarcasm on full display.

"Technology wasn't as advanced as it is here, the powers that govern the town didn't see the need for it. Our way worked very well though, **Loran(Name not in System)** and **Yharnam(Name not in System)** worked almost like Palisade Town. If you didn't have the awareness you wouldn't be able to see the messengers at all," Abe started walking out of the cave.

"Yeah, I definitely feel honored to be aware those things exist now," Ino sassed giving a side-eye to the lantern. He was very quick in getting the incident out of his mind as he and Suichiro followed Abe out of the cavern. "I made an offer to Suichiro, so it's only fair to extend it to you. Do you want in on my Task list for the day?"

"I'm not doing "Dating" service Doggie," Abe spoke with a deadpan expression.

"Why does everyone assume-," Ino shook his head. "No old man, there's no Dating services in the manifest. Check it out yourself."

With that Ino closed his eyes, and a few moments later a holographic pink-bordered box appeared before him. In the box was a list of text that depicted the Location, directions, ranking and rewards of twelve Tasks. All of them were on the low-end of the ranking at D or C

"The hell's a slot car?" Suichiro asked peering over the Task described simply as: Finish an Exhibition Slot Car race above 5th Place.

"Not gonna lie, I have no idea," Ino confessed.

Abe pondered over the manifest for a few moments then just shook his head. "Sorry Doggie, as much as I would like to do these hobbyist time-sinks with you. I have activities at the **Arena** that I want to finish while I'm mentally clear. At least until Miss President is able to have guests again."

"Miss President?" Suichiro turned to Ino in confusion. He is almost never privy to Abe's nomenclature for the people around him.

"Obe's ward. And another damn puzzle-box if I ever seen one."" Abe answered and Suichiro nodded as the connection clicked.

"Why's that?" Ino asked.

"Obe was always tight-lipped about her for one thing," Abe grumbled. "It once took me and Kei-On weeks to even get him to disclose her name. Casserole you know what I mean."

"Yeah, he's not wrong," Suichiro corroborated. "Obe was annoying when it came to that. After all the times we hung out with him, we only know a: her name, b: she was vegetarian, and c: she lived alone. And we practically had to pry that out with a crowbar."

"Privacy is a thing you know," Ino pointed out.

"Doggie I don't know anything about her, and I'm tasked with helping her "adjust" now," Abe confessed. Ino was about to open his mouth before he continued. "And no, I don't know why that is."

Ino closed his eyes and pinched his nose in frustration. "There's so much plates in the air goddamn," He groaned. "Ok, how about we put out a few queries in the next Mill. Just anything about the Shashi family or anyone related to them in general and start work from there."

"Couldn't hurt," Abe agreed.

"Do you think your ward would be any help here?" Suichiro inquired.

"I don't know how well, Yuri has only been in the club for a month," Abe shrugged. "I have no idea if she had any conversations with Miss President before that. But, I believe it probably won't hurt to let her know that she's sharing me with Miss President now."

"Ok ok, we have somewhat of a plan now," Ino allowed his impatience to show. "Let's get going, we're burning daylight."

With that the three men entered the truck and started off to their separate destinations. Each one of them muddling through a feeling that this was going to be a very, very, long day.

 **-PERSPECTIVE ENDED BY USER-**


End file.
